Life In General, After the Fall
by Blooknaburg
Summary: Yay! Chapter 30!! Be in suspence no more. Find out who is attacking the Bebop and why. Ed and Ein have fun in zero gravity and Spike kicks some boo-tay, Chapter 30 Pizza Flyer.
1. When Ed Attacks

NFA: Pardon my french I actually don't swear, but to make the characters more like themselves, they are in this story.  And much thanks to Ms. Busy Body and Kenny Loony (the Joseph Queens) for their approval of my usage of Josephs. Sorry if I got the place where they met Faye wrong. I actually can't find it so if you know where...  
  


  
Thoughts are in _italics_  
  
flashbacks are indicated by a line____ _  
  
Disclaimer: No, sadly I do not own Cowboy Bebop. It belongs to Sunrise.  
  
   
   
  
  


 When Ed Attacks  
  
  


The crew of Bebop was walking through the spaceport at Tharsis City on Mars. ''So where is this bounty that Jet said would be here?'' Faye said turning to Spike.   
  


Spike was walking with hands behind his head, not really paying attention; just letting his thoughts wander. He was trying to listen for anything that sounded like their bounty, but all that could be heard was this one particularly annoying person, with an odd voice that kept shouting at someone........   
  
  


''Joseph! What are doing in that pile of luggage!!''  
  
[Pause]   
  
''Joseph! What in heavens name are you doing with that box?! No, you can't keep it!''  
  
[Pause]   
  
''Joseph! That is a flight sickness bag, not a hat!!''  
  


_Poor kid…_thought Spike. He started mulling over his own childhood. Suddenly, his introspection was interrupted, by a hard thump on his head.  
  


''Don't you ever listen to me?'' Faye glared at him with her hand on her hips. Spike was still standing in the same position as before and without turning around said, ''No.'' he then continued walking.   
  
  


''Grrrrrrr... Hey, wait have you seen Ed?'' he heard her ask.   
  


He turned around to face Faye, as she looked around to see if she could see Ed.  
  


He smiled evilly, ''Oh, great you lost her! What is Jet going to say? She was your responsibility.'' he said, trying to get to her.   
  


Stomping up to him, _I want to smack that stupid smirk right off his face, she though. ''Me! No! She wasn't my responsibility'', she said, fuming.  
  
_

Spike idly wondered when the smoke was going to start coming out of her ears. Their argument was interrupted by a huge metallic crash.   
  


They both whipped around in time to see Ed flying through the air with her arms out like an airplane and then land on top of an information kiosk and start jumping around. The attendant inside had latched on to the desk and was hanging on for dear life, screaming, ''What's going on here!! Ahhhh! Somebody please help meee!'' Ed had climbed up the sign and jumped off it on to the top of the kiosk, hence the crash.   
  
  


''ED!!!!'' Faye and Spike both made a mad dash across the port to the kiosk  
  


''Edward!'' Spike shouted'' if you don't get down here right this instant I'll ........'' he trailed off because he couldn't think of anything to threaten her with. 

At Spike's yell Ed stopped jumping about like an ape and looked down at them, she said, ''Helloooooooo, Spike person and Faye-Faye!'' she said brightly seemingly unaware of all the commotion she was causing. She then proceeded to wreak havoc on top of the kiosk.  
  
  


Faye looked at him incredulously, and raised one eyebrow looking up at him ''You'll what? Threaten her with Jet's cooking? Come on. You know there's nothing that you can do to her.'' she snorted rolling her eyes.   
  
  


''Well it sounded good.... at first-''

''Men....'' she was then interrupted by the attendant. (they had been completely oblivious to everything else during their exchange).  
  


''Hey are you two going to just stand there, or are you going to help me?!'' she screamed still hanging on for dear life.  Spike started yelling Ed's name again, and waving his arms around.  
  
  
''Hey! Hey! Shut Up!'' She punched him in the shoulder,'' I've got an idea.'' He crossed his arms over his chest and waited.  
  
  


Faye took a step towards the rocking kiosk, she leaned forward slightly, cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled ''Ed! Hey, Ed! Guess what?''  
  
  


Ed sat up straight as an arrow and turned her head to look at Faye, moved her goggles off her eyes and on to her forehead. She then crawled forward to the front of the kiosk and leaned over the edge trying to get as close to Faye as she could without actually getting off.  
  


''OOOOOOOOoooo what is it Faye-Faye?'' as she said oo her mouth formed a tall oval shape and her eyebrows went to the very top of her head, '' What is it Faye-Faye?!'' Tell Eeeedddd!'' she rocked back and forth in anticipation, causing the attendant to scream again.  
  


''I saw a computer shop down that way; they had all kinds of very interesting looking parts and programs there. I even saw a computer with 'fishies' on it.'' she said persuasively.   
  


Spike looked on with interest and then remembered the attendant. ''Ahhhhh, don't worry she'll be gone soon'', he said trying to be reassuring. He felt bad for this poor girl. '' You should get out though just in case it doesn't work.''   
  
  


She had just been staring at him the whole time he was talking and it had kind of creeped him out, but then she snapped out of it, nodded and left the kiosk through a small door and walked off looking kind of dazed.   
  
  


Spike just shook his head, and watched Faye continue to persuade Ed to get off the cart. _There probably really isn't any store. That's pretty clever though. He had to admit. He smiled to himself as he watched. He remember the first time he met her...  
  
__________________________________________  
  
_

They had been at a casino on one of the moons of Jupiter. He had been walking around and saw that a there was a new game starting at one of the poker tables, this one had a particularly nice looking dealer...  
  
__________________________________________  
  
  
  


_So much has happened since then...   
  
  
_

He then saw Ed swan dive off the cart and had run away towards the part of the port that Faye had pointed at with her arms out like an airplane yelling, ''Heeeeere comes Ed! Watch out Fishy Computer! Heheheee''! She laughed evilly.   
  
  


He watched Faye smile and her eyes soften as Ed ran off. It was a rare glimpse into the real Faye, behind the masks and walls.   
  
  


''So is there really a store?'' Spike asked?  
  
  
  
  


Faye looked at him, ''Huh? Yeah, of course, why?''  
  
  


''I thought that you were making it up.'' he stated simply.   
  
  


''O ye of little faith,'' she said patiently, she punched him lightly in the shoulder, ''Come on let's follow her, make sure that she doesn't get into any more trouble.''  
  
  



	2. Daily Constitutional

I am so slow at updating,g but here is the second chapter. One reason that this took so Incredibly long is that I was typing this on my computer upstairs, and then I was gonna, put it on a diskette and then do the transfer to ff.net with the computer that can actually get hooked to the internet (well duh, I would have to do that anyways now wouldn't I?) But something happened and I lost the whole chapter so I had to type it all again. This chapter succeeds only in explaining how Spike got back to the Bebop. Thanks to Ms. Busy Body for her review. Also thanks to the Basset Hound that lives down the street form my Grammy. I would like to apologize the italics got messed up in my last chapter, so the thoughts of people ended up looking like normal sentences. And I meant Tharsis City, not Orphis City.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.  
  
Flashbacks are indicated by a line___ _ Thoughts are in italics "Spoken words, obviously." Are in parentheses  
  
  
  
Chapter Two: Daily Constitutional  
  
  
  
Ed sat busily typing at her Tomato, reminiscing about all the fun she had had at the spaceport on Mars last week. Since that little incident she hadn't been allowed to go anywhere. Since Big Shot had been cancelled Ed also spent a lot more of her time hacking into systems and files to get information on the latest bounties. She readjusted herself so that she was laying down on the table in front of the couch in the lounge, she did not stop typing. Spike was lying on the couch, trying in vain to sleep, but with Ed clacking away on her Tomato rest was just not possible. So he then resigned himself to imagining a piece of chocolate cake that he had seen on T.V. in his mouth. And was failing, Last time I watch cooking shows when I'm hungry. His tasty reverie was then interrupted by a rumble and thunder for the hangar. Her and her damn motorcycle. A small smirk played on his face.  
  
______________________________ _  
  
Faye's POV*  
  
She cruised down the streets of Tharsis City on her motorcycle, a nice new Kawasaki. Since they now spent a lot more time planet side when they went after bounties and she had had the cash, Faye had decided that it was time for a more normal mode of transportation, for when she wasn't doing bounty stuff. Not that she was giving up on her Redtail. They were staying at a Motel 6 since they were going to be planet side for a while as they tried to go after their latest bounty. Jet had asked her to go get some groceries, handed her the list and, kicked her out. She had previously explored this area incase they ended up in a chase with their bounty, so she knew her way around. As she turned the corner, she heard the sounds of gunshots through her helmet. She concentrated on the scene up ahead. There was a car from behind which five men were shooting at one man that was across the street taking cover behind what was left of a storefront window. The man behind the window popped up shot quickly and dove around the corner of the store. Three of the men went down with bullets in various places, the two remaining men opened fire on the brick corner of the building that the man was hiding behind. The man was Spike. And the guys with the car were Red Dragons, she could tell by their suits. Two months! Where the hell has he been! Well let's pick him up and see. There had been plenty of times when things seemed pretty desperate and looked like he wasn't going to come back, but never so much as that one time. This time she was gonna be in control, she certainly hadn't been in control the last time. I had hurt so much when he left. So she had just tried not to think about it. Secretly they hoped that he would just waltz back through the door and that things would be normal, but he hadn't. And suddenly, here he was on the same planet in the same city as she, when would she ever have another chance like this one? She smiled as a plan formed in her mind. There was an ally that ran around the length of the building that Spike was hiding behind. She took the upcoming right, then left, and then the last left. Bringing her up behind Spike.  
  
Spike's POV*  
  
He was preparing return fire, when he heard a roaring sound from behind him. He turned around prepared for more attackers, but stopped when a woman on a motorcycle slowed to a stop and yelled, "Get on!" he couldn't see her face because of her helmet. He got on and wrapped his right arm around her waist, and held his gun in his left hand. "Are you ready?" she said.  
  
Faye's POV*  
  
"Are you ready?" she asked him. He looked ahead and then back at her and nodded. Here we go. She sped out of the ally, and turned left heading back the way she had come. Spike started shooting at the men who were caught off guard, and screamed, "He's getting away follow them!" The men got in their car and were gaining on them in a couple of minutes. The man in the passenger side leaned out of his window and started shooting. Faye saw this and swerved to one side avoiding the gunfire. "Does this thing go any faster?" Spike yelled next to her head. She Suddenly accelerated causing Spike to jerk back and lose his grip. Oops, maybe I should have told him to hold on. She thought, amused by the indignant look on his face.  
  
  
  
Spikes POV*  
  
Jesus! I could have fallen off! He looked in to the rearview mirror and saw that they were rapidly pulling away from the car. "Shit!" he heard her say. And then he looked up. Shit! They were headed straight for a dead end.  
  
  
  
Faye's POV*  
  
She pulled around sharply, and narrowly avoided crashing into the wall. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going! Only one way out. She saw the triumphant looks on the faces of the men in the car. They though that they had her. "Shoot them before they shoot us." She said simply. Again he nodded. Eat my shorts!  
  
  
  
Spike's POV  
  
This woman is crazy. He heard the squeal of tires and then they were off shooting towards the car. Spike shot the passenger, but the man driving stuck his hand out the window and fired three times. The first two bullets missed, but the third went through the windshield to hit the woman in the left shoulder. The bike swerved erratically before she got it back under control. But he hadn't been watching the road and hit a building.  
  
  
  
Faye's POV*  
  
  
  
When the bullet shit her in the shoulder she would have screamed, but it hurt too much. She was losing control of the motorcycle so she tightened her grip on the handle. She gritted her teeth against the bolts of pain that shot through her arm. I got you now. After a few minutes of driving she pulled up to the front of the Motel 6, shut off her cycle, and walked to the nearest flight of stairs.  
  
  
  
Spike's POV*  
  
He watched her walk up the stairs holding her shoulder with her good hand, she didn't tell me not to come. He put his hands in his pockets, and followed her lazily up the stairs. She stopped at room 26, pulled he key out of her pocket, swiped it and opened the door. "Did you get the groceries?" he heard a gruff male voice asked.  
  
  
  
Faye's POV*  
  
  
  
He's following me, yes! She opened the door, "Did you get the groceries?" she heard Jet ask. He was around the corner of the closet, so he couldn't see Spike, and Spike couldn't see him.  
  
  
  
Omniscient POV*  
  
She stepped forward and said, "No but I did pick up something else." As she said this she reached behind her, grabbed Spike's shirt and, pulled him around the corner in front of her. Jet stood up looking surprise and leaned to one side to see, around Spike, Faye pulling off her helmet. Spike turned around too. He took a step back. "Where did you find him?" Jet asked. He hadn't noticed her shoulder yet. Spike saw Ed busily tapping away on her Tomato with the goggles on and Ein asleep on the floor next to the bed. "Down by where the Butcher shop used to be," she stressed the word used. "What do you mean 'used'?" "He was in a shootout with some guys." "Oh." And with that explained Jet turned to Spike, "So how ya been?" "Ok." They both turned around when they heard Faye gasp as she tried to take her coat off. "What the hell happened?" Jet exclaimed, as he saw her blood stained T-shirt. "A guy shot me." She said, making her way to her bed and sitting down.  
  
______________________________ _  
  
Since then things have been pretty normal, he thought. Sometimes his stomach still bothered him where Vicious had., but other than that things were pretty much like they had been before, pretty much.  
  
He finally got to sleep.  
  
  
  
NFA: Sorry if the flashback thing was confusing; I felt that it had to be done that way. Omniscient POV is everyone or an all-knowing point of view. Well, yay! It's done, now on to chapter three for me! Please read and review. 


	3. Reflections Anyone?

WOW! I have reviews! I am amazed. Special thanks to **Kyra** and **CyberMaiden**, two awesome people who were kind enough to review my story! Harley's are cool, too. Sometimes I wonder why I didn't make her get one, I was seriously considering it… I would like to apologize about the format of the last chapter something happened, I had it all nice and everything, but as I said I am cursed. 

Thoughts are in _italics_

Flashbacks are indicted by a line______ _

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

Reflections Anyone?

______________________________ _

Spike had just gotten back to the Bebop for the first time in two months. The old ship was much the same. The only thing was that when he had left Ed and Ein hadn't been around, and now they were back. Hey was lying on the couch and Jet was in the kitchen. Faye and Ed were to god knows where. 

"Hey, Jet when did Ed get back?" he asked glancing in the direction of the kitchen.

"Hmm, 'bout last month. She didn't say anything about why she came back, just one day Ed hacked into the Bebop's navigational systems and picked herself up.  She crashed us on Earth and was yelling and rolling all over the place, she latched on to my arm and wouldn't let go, until she saw Faye and wrapped herself around her leg for the rest of the day." He explained.

"Oh."

He wasn't exactly sure how he felt about being back on the Bebop. He didn't really mind. Plus he could always pick up and leave if he wanted.  He wasn't obligated to stick around. She had gotten him out of a little situation, though. _Not that I needed her help, I could have done it myself._ He didn't like to admit it, but Faye had been pretty smooth with the whole thing. _Very unlike herself_. _I wouldn't have guessed that that was Faye_. It was the first time he'd been on a motorcycle in years, he smiled a little. She had been ripshit about her leather jacket and her windshield, but she got over it. They had fished the bullet out of her shoulder, cleaned her up, and stitched her up, and then she had spent the rest of the day mourning over her motorcycle.  He had also noticed some other stuff about Faye, he and Jet had discussed it, briefly. She had become a bit softer, and helped out when she thought no one was looking, and was even nicer to Ein. She was still a bitch and had her attitude and they still fought, though.

"Hey, maybe she was a decent person before and when she got her memory back she remembered how to help out." They had said jokingly. But Spike remembered that day when he left, and she said that she had gotten her memory back. His mind had briefly skipped back to the time when he had listened to her telling Ein her story, and the videotape of her as a child. 

______________________________ _

She could see it in his face sometimes, his eyes especially. All of his pain. He hadn't gotten what he wanted, he was still here and Julia, his angel, was not. He was still himself, but with all that pain.

She wanted to help him, she too knew what it was like to lose everything that was important to you; and now that she remembered everything that she had lost, it hurt more. She just didn't know how to go about doing it. He'd probably get angry, and not let her help him. She wanted to and she didn't know why.  She dismissed the altruistic urge as she flew down the highway.

It was a nice day on Venus, and she wasn't wearing her helmet. Her purple hair was blown back by the wind as she drove. The wind didn't bother her eyes as much as it had, when she had first started riding. Jet had sent her to get more groceries. _Amazing we have money for groceries, she thought.  Jet had sent her out for the second time that week. Since Spike was back food started disappearing as fast as it had before. And they could also hunt more bounties with him back as well. It was a nice day on Venus, and she wasn't wearing her helmet. Her purple hair was blown back by the wind as she drove. The wind didn't bother her eyes as much as it had, when she had first started riding. _

LATER

Spike was watching T.V. on the couch, Ed was in the rotating tunnel playing with Ein, Faye was across from Spike in the chair reading magazine, and Jet was pruning his bonsai. Spike would notice that sometimes Faye would watch him over the top of her magazine, when she thought that he wouldn't notice.

Ed was surfing the net when she stumbled upon a news site, the headline was "Man Holds 15 Hostage".

The article was being continually updated. "Ooo, Ein, hmmm…,"she trailed off as she read the rest of the article. "Why is Bizarro looking for Faye-Faye, Ein?" she asked turning to the small dog, he looked at her, tilted his head to one side, and wined.

"Brilliant idea Ein!" she declared, pointing one finger straight up, "Let's go! Couch room HO!" she made the 'ho' long as she flew with her arms out like a plane, to the door, pressed the button and hopped through. Ein had a bit more trouble.

She flew into the living room, and in one fell swoop, grabbed the remote from Spike's unsuspecting hand, and sat down in front of the T.V. far enough away so that he could not reach her. She started switching channels rapidly.

"Ed."

"Spiiiike-person?"

His eyebrow started to twitch, "Ed I was watching that."

She stopped clicking suddenly, moved her goggles off of her head, and said, "No, now you're watching this." She pointed as she turned up the volume. For the first time Faye looked up and watched to see what had Ed all excited, as did Spike. A woman with short blonde hair was standing with a background of a lot of police cars and people moseying around with worried looks on their faces in front of a big dark building.

"And so the tension mounts as Wan X. Pizzaro threatens to start shooting the hostages if his demands are not met. Our only hope is that the ISSP can track down Faye Valentine before any lives are lost." Faye's mug shot from when they showed her as a bounty on Big Shots was shown in the bottom right had side of the screen, "We will now speak live with Benzo Starr, head of this Districts ISSP forces."

NFA: MUHAHAHAHAHAAA! I made a cliffhanger, I made a cliffhanger! I find this very amusing. Its fun I should do this more often. No, just kidding.


	4. Attack of the Hillbillies or Bizzaro's R...

Thanks again to **Kyra, **reviewed my third chapter. Also thanks to **Ninja Lockheart, and CyberMaiden** who reviewed this chapter when it was first put up. Thanks for making me think, Ninja Lockheart it's a good thing. First week of high school is in 4 days! If I don't update before then you'll have to wait until the weekend. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

Thoughts are in _italics_

Attack of the Hillbillies or Bizzarro's Request

"We will now speak live with Benzo Starr, head of this district's ISSP forces, Benzo?" asked the blonde reporter.

"Well the current situation is this: at approximately twelve hundred hours this afternoon Wan X. Pizzaro, strolled into the Drysdale Memorial Co-op Bank on Peachtree Boulevard and took thirteen hostages. Three bank attendants and ten civilians. The rest of the building is empty, thankfully because only the banking/finances on bottom floor is open. He then forced his way to the upper levels and took control of the building, and shut down as many systems as possible. As of now all elevators and moving sidewalks are not working. The security system is still fully operational.  Officials are baffled as to how he made it to the upper levels. We have security consultants working none stop to try and use the security system to our own advantage, but so far we have had no luck. None of the designers of the system can be contacted.  And as is the case with most hostage situations, the captor is making demands that if we should meet, the hostages will be released unharmed. He has been constantly demanding the presence of one, Faye Valentine, whom is his only demand. If she is not within the building within the next three hours he threatens to start shooting the hostages."

"Thank you Mr. Starr, is that all the light that you can give to the situation?" the blonde asked turning to him.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" Benzo asked seriously.

"Whaaa?"

"Starr, light. Get it? Umm, guess not."

 "Ok… Is that all the information that you have for us Mr. Starr?" the reporter said recovering

"We also have all resident detectives working in concert with other databases within the ISSP, to give us any clue to 'Faye Valentines' whereabouts."

"Thanks again Mr. Starr, this is Elly Mae reporting live from in front of the Drysdale Memorial Co-op Bank on Peachtree Boulevard, now back to Phill Moore in the studio…." Ed turned down the volume, looking at her fellow shipmates. Faye was staring slack jawed at the screen, which still had her picture in the bottom corner. Spike, from his relaxed position on the couch, was staring as well. No one had noticed when Jet had wandered in, but he sat heavily on the couch, staring at the T.V. as well.

Spike perking up said, "So Faye, why would this guy take hostages and them demand to see you? What did you do, sleep with him and then steal his money?" his small smirk growing wider.

She stared dumbly at him and then responded angrily, "What?! Of course not! Dose he look like the kind of guy I'd sleep with?!"

"Well I don't know-" he was cut off abruptly as she hurled a pillow at his head. It bounced off his hair and flopped to the floor. He picked it up and threw it back at her; she caught it, looking daggers at him over the pillow. His stupid smirk infuriated her.

"Stop it you two." Jet said as he stood and took the pillow out of her hands. "Now seriously Faye how does this guy know you?"

"Now seriously Jet I didn't do anything to this guy, I don't even know who he is."

"Are you sure?" Spike asked, looking at her out of the corner of his eye, because he had moved so that he faced the ceiling, the lazy smirk still adorning his face.

"Yes, I'm sure." She said, annoyed.

"What about before-"

She cut Jet off, "If I had done something to this guy before they froze me, wouldn't he be geriatric, that is, IF he wasn't dead." She still seemed a bit touchy when it came to her past

Jet crossed him arm over his chest and grunted.

Without another word Faye got up from her spot and headed to her room. She started checking her guns and setting some on her bed if they were fully loaded, and putting them back if they weren't. She went to her closet and pulled out a pair of shorts that were only slightly longer than the pair that she wore now, length being the only difference. A few minutes later she emerged from her room. She had one gun strapped against her upper thigh.

_'This is going to take finesse, but just in case'_ she patted the gun on her right thigh. She walked into the living room where Spike and Jet watched her pass through on her way to the hanger.

"Uh. Faye where are you going?" Jet asked.

"Where do you think I'm going?"

"Faye-Faye wait for Ed!!! Ed is going to help!" Ed came running in with her Tomato on her head and jogged in place as she said this. Ein, by her side, barked.

_ "_Ed what would you do to help?" Spike asked, amused.

"Ed will collaborate with the suits!"

"You're going to collaborate with the ISSP officers to help solve this?"

"Yes sir Jet-person!" she said saluting Jet. Turning to Faye, "Yup yup Edward can help Faye-Faye."

"Ed I don't think that they'll let you."

"Yes they will Spike-person, Jet-person will convince them to let Edward help."

Faye stood there with her hands on her hips tapping her foot impatiently, "Well if we're all gong to go. Then we should go NOW. It's not like we have all day."

"Ed rides with you." Spike said to Faye as he walked by her to the hangar.

           AT THE BANK

She observed the crowed of people and officers that stood or did various tasks in front of the bank. There was a white pavilion set up, under which the 'security consultants' were tapping away at their computers or reviewing various sheets for paper that came out of the printer or fax machine.  She spotted Mr. Benzo conversing with a fellow officer, and then speaking earnestly into a walkie-talkie.

"I'm here." Faye stated loftily, coming up behind him.

"Hmm? Who are you? If you not here for police purposes please leave." Benzo said not taking his eyes form the paper in his hand.

She cleared her throat and snatched the paper from his grasp. "If you want me to leave I will, but then you won't be able to meet this asshole's demands, and save all of the people." He looked up at her and after a moment realized whom she was, "I was sleeping, before I realized that I had not filled my good deed quota for the day so I came here, but I could go home. I do have better things to do." she said casually examining the paper.

"No, no Miss Valentine don't leave; just stay right here we have some things to discuss…Jones! Jones! She's here!"

Suddenly several people rushed over to where they were standing, one carried a table and set it down in front of Benzo and Faye, another guy came over with several rolls and various sheaf's of paper, and spread them out over the table.

He started explaining things rapidly and pointing at things that pertained to what he was talking, "Ok Miss Valentine, now the hostages are being held here, they are bound and gagged, and Pizzaro is also near where the hostages are. Now when dealing with hostage situation you have to be delicate, use your head, you can't be impulsive, you must plan. These are the floor plans—" he stopped because Faye had drawn her gun and had it casually pointed at his face. Instantly every man gathered around had their guns out and pointed them at Faye.

Still holding her gun, "Ok, so I'm the one who has to deal with this freak?" Benzo nodded, "Well, since it's me then we're going to do it my way. Got it? My way or the highway. Ok?" 

"Well, uh, Miss Valentine, err, how do propose we handle this situation?" he asked shakily, sweat breaking out on his forehead, disbelief written all over the faces of the other officers.  It usually doesn't matter who you are, civilian or police chief, have a gun pressed into your head is unnerving at the least.

"'We' will not handle anything. My partners and I will take over from here."

"Now Miss Valentine—" Benzo started trying to gain back some of his authority. He stopped when Faye's gun moved closer to his head; all of the officers tensed, their weapons still trained on Faye.

Faye turned Benzo around so that he could see Jet staring at the whole scene in disbelief, and Spike watching Ed dance around him with her Tomato still atop her head. "You see that girl over there?"

"What girl?"

"That girl." She pointed with her free hand at Ed.

"That's a girl?"

"Yes." She smiled because she had though that very same thing the first time she had seen Ed, "Her name is Ed—"

"What kind of a name is Ed?" Benzo interrupted, looking truly lost.

"It's her name, now don't interrupt me. You're going to let Ed use all of your equipment if she needs it to hack into the security system—"

"But how could she—" he stopped when Faye raised her eyebrows at him and gave him a meaningful look, "r-right, sorry."

"And those two guys are Jet Black and Spike Spiegel, they are my partners, you are going to offer them any assistance they ask for. You might want to keep your guys away from Ed." She added. Ed was on her hands and knees sniffing things, she presently was sniffing at the heel of an officer's shoe. Benzo looked mildly horrified.

"Jet Black?" he asked, recognition scrawled on his face.

"Yes, Jet Black." She answered. _God, dose Jet know everybody? she thought for not the first time._

"Is that it?" he asked.

"Yup." As she headed in Spike and Jet's direction she heard Benzo talking to his men, "Well you heard the lady, her way or the highway-"

"Sir you're really going to just let her—" 

"Yes it looks like we don't have any other choice, so, Chop chop!"

"How'd it go?" Spike asked, with the ever-present smirk.

"Just fine." and then turning to look at Ed, "Hey Ed! It's you turn!"

Ed came running up to Faye on all fours, "YAY! EDWARDS TURN!!" she yelled dancing around Faye.

"Now Ed what exactly are you going to do?" Faye asked.

Ed stopped mid-dance in front of Faye, and then collapsed in to a sitting position on the ground. "Well Ed plans to hack into their surveillance system," she said making an evil face and wiggling her fingers in the air as if she were typing. "And use their cameras to see. Then Ed can take control, for Faye-Faye."

"Like lights?" Faye suggested, because she couldn't think of much to control in an office building.  What else was there? Coffee makers and elevators?  If you couldn't make it walk down the street and kick someone's ass then it didn't seem like a lot of control to her.  But this was Ed who knows what she could do.

"Yes. Many things like lights." She said, sitting back on her heels looking up at Faye.

"How will I communicate with you?"

"By, p-a, P-a, P-A, P-PUBLIC ANNOUCMENT SYSTEM!" She said.

"Ok, go get started." Faye ordered, satisfied with Ed's explanations. She stared to turn towards the building, when Ed grabbed her hand.

"Father-person used to tell me," she said putting on a most parent like face, closing her eyes and sticking up her pointer finger, "Francoise you must be careful, and stay out of trouble." She wagged her finger in Faye's face. "The same goes for you Faye-faye." She then wrapped her whole self around Faye's arm, and looked up at her with a huge smile and happy eyes, "Don't worry Faye-Faye, Ed has it covered," she rubbed her cheek on Faye's shoulder. She jumped off Faye's arm and grabbed her Tomato out of Spike's arms and ran towards the white pavilion, Tomato on her head.

After several minutes of busied typing, Ed pulled her goggles on to her forehead and shouted from her chair, "Edward is ready Faye-Faye!!"

She nodded.

Spike had been watching Faye this whole time. He could see from her eyes and posture that she was nervous, and extremely apprehensive. She kept glancing nervously up at the building. _I hope she doesn't do anything stupid and get herself and all those people killed_. He didn't have a clue why she was doing this, risking her life for a bunch of people that she didn't even know. She hardly ever risked anything for her own shipmates. He knew this time she was on her own.

Meanwhile, Ed and Faye talked under the white pavilion, Benzo and Jet were talking, and Spike off to one side watching.

"Where are the hostages and Pizzaro, Ed?"

"Bizzaro is on the 10th floor," she said as color images from inside the building flashed on and off the Tomato's screen and her goggles glowed. "Here." She pointed. She handed Faye a map of the tenth floor, marked with a bright red smiley face for where Pizzaro and the hostages were.

"Thanks Ed." Faye said taking the paper and ruffling her hair.

"You ready?" Spike asked casually.

"Mmmhmm." Faye answered staring up at the building. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye to see if she could tell what he was thinking. No such luck.  She pulled out a cigarette, but found she had left the lighter at home.

"What's the plan?" he had lit a cigarette and it was now dangling from his lips.  He leaned forward sticking his cigarette out with his lips and Faye lit her cigarette off his.

"Improvise." She said talking a drag and walking purposefully towards the building, her face set.

"What's her plan?" Jet asked with coming up behind Spike, Benzo in toe. _Wow, I didn't even have to do anything_.

"Improvise." He answered. His eyes never leaving Faye's back as she marched to the entrance of the building.

           NFA: Oi, sorry if this was confusing. And you know what? I just realized that I didn't have any of them smoke, or anything up until this chapter. I knew something was wrong. This is the longest chapter so far. Well I hoped you liked it. Please review.


	5. Middleman pt 1

           More appreciation…

Well, O my. Chapter 5! Ahh! Wonderful reviewers, thank you profusely. Special thanks to the newest reviewers **Dreamer** and **Suki.**

I was wondering if anyone got the really lame Starr, light joke in chapter four, but oh well. Ed had a big part in the last chapter for a reason, you'll see. For almost two chapters there was no Ed, and no real character development. The latter will be coming in larger quantities in the next couple of chapters. Okie Dokie, here is Chapter 5. Please don't shoot me I had to use something! O.O

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

Thoughts are in _Italics_

(Stuff in parentheses are when a character answers him/herself)

Middleman Pt. 1

_Calm down! Breath! Ok don't lose your head, Wait! What the hell am I worried about? I can handle this no problem. I wonder what this freak wants with me anyways…he could have just called me or met me in person; he didn't have to go and kidnap all these people. No worries, nothing I can't handle._ She told herself as she approached the building. She stopped in front to of the glass doors expecting them to open. They didn't. She pressed her hands together anxiously. She looked towards the right corner and saw a camera turning, and focusing in on her. _That's got to be Pizzaro, I hope Ed isn't detectable_. The doors slid open, as she walked in a greasy, low voice came over the intercom, "Welcome Miss Valentine, I was wondering when you were going to pay me a visit. Please feel free to proceed to the tenth floor at your leisure."

At the sound of Pizzarro's voice through the Tomato's speakers, Ed leaned close and growled as if the noise could somehow scare him. Spike watched Faye's body disappear as she ascended a stairwell. Ed sat cross-legged in a chair in front of her Tomato, while Jet and Spike stood together behind Ed. Benzo was sitting next to Jet in another chair. Tensely they watched Faye's every move on the Tomato's screen.

When Faye reached the stairs that would take her from the ninth to the tenth floor, she hesitated, only for a second.

"Please, if you will, we shall be in the third conference room on the left of the main hallway. You're awfully quiet is there something on your mind Miss Valentine? If you would like we can discuss it upon you arrival." This statement was accompanied by mirthless laughter that faded a couple seconds later. _I've got a gun; I can just take this guy out if he gets too annoying_. She told herself, patting her right thigh as she walked.

The pushed open the door. Pizzarro sat at a desk facing a wall that was one huge tinted window, with a computer, and a microphone on it, in the far end of the room. He swiveled in his chair to face her. Thank god there was a long table separating herself and Pizzarro, or she would have punched him then and there. He seemed to be enjoying this. But then, didn't they all until they were caught? She smirked, Spike's smirk. An annoyed glint passed through Pizzarro's eye. He frowned, and then smiled, and said pleasantly, "Wouldn't you like to meet my other gusts?" 

He gestured to a French door; in the room was a table with a coffee maker on it. And the hostages, three women with blue uniforms, nine women ranging in age from elderly to, a teenager, and one little girl who was sitting close to a middle aged woman, crying. She seemed to be five years old. All of them were bound and gagged, except the little girl who wasn't gagged.

Controlling herself, Faye sat down near Pizzarro's end of the table and said nastily, "Shall we begin?"

"Ahh, a business woman, I like that quality in a lady. What do you like?"

Outside, Spike snorted, _lady?_ He thought as he heard Pizzarro's remark. Jet and Benzo looked at him. He stared back and they turned away.

Stomping on her rising anger, "I would like to discuss what it's going to take to get those people freed." She said sharply. She reclined in her chair, and crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't like how he was looking at her. She had already assessed the situation and knew that her usual tactics weren't going to work on this one. She glanced at his desk. The computer was how he had been able to track her as she moved to through the building; she could see the hallways that she had just passed through. And no doubt the speaker was connected to the P.A. system.

"We both have things we want." He stated simply, she raised one eyebrow, "You want the hostages, and I want your shipmates."

Outwardly she remained unphased, but inside was a raging storm of confusion, and turmoil. _What the hell does he want them for?! There's no way this is going to work! Shit! What am I going to do?_ She took a deep breath, _I have a gun and he doesn't know I can just shoot him if things don't go my way. Why don't I shoot him now?_ (ISSP, maybe?) _Damn justice.._. She took another deep breath, _here goes_.

"Well, my shipmates are very stubborn, I want to make sure that this transaction is going to be worth my while." She said staying cool, she knew that outside they would all be watching and listing, she prayed that they knew she was lying. "What can you give me in exchange?"

 At Faye's remark Jet's cigarette fell from his mouth, Benzo's jaw dropped and Spike's eyes widened and he finally decided that he should pay attention, _What kind of game is she running?_ Ed didn't respond at all, Spike wasn't sure if she even understood what was going on.

"I was wondering when you would ask me. I can give you your past. Oh, sure you remember a lot of things, but that's not all of it. You and I both know that. I can give you things you don't remember, things you wouldn't be able to achieve on your own." He elaborated. He turned slightly in his chair, opened a drawer in the desk, and pulled out a stuffed panther.

NFA: Sorry that was so short; it's easier to write if I do it in shorter parts. Please review. Oi, having brain cramps from trying to finish the Middleman stuff before the first day of school. Ahh 2 days! O well. Please don't kill me for the stuffed animal more will be explained in the next chapter. See ya then.


	6. Middleman pt 2

            Yay! **Kyra** is back!  I was wondering if she was going to review again…  Thank you to all of my reviewers!J  You guys rock.  Attack of the Stuffed Panthers sounds like it could be my next venture into the world of CB fan fiction, if  I did it would be a humorous one. (see Kyra's review).

            More will be revealed in this chapter, yes about the panther, and Faye's plan to get out the hostages. I'm sorry if it gets confusing, it might. Hmm.

I re-did the last chapter a bit, and fixed some minor errors, feel free to re-read if you want to.  Must say, I like Benzo I think he is coolJ.  Ok done jabbering here is the next chapter.  Sorry about the shortness and the non-existent preview for this chapter, in the last chapter.  Ger is like Grr when your growling at someone, not like jour sound in journal.  Thought that I should make note of that.  Cats make Grr sounds not jour sounds.  (OK! Ashley, shut up and get on with it!!!)  sorry O.O  (just talking to myself, please ignore me folks) 

            Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

'Thoughts are in single quotes'

(Stuff in parentheses is when a character answers his/her own questions)

Flashbacks/memories are indicated by a line___ _

Middleman pt. 2 

            Once getting a good look at the panther Faye felt a warm wave wash over her, like when you've been away from home for a long time and you get that warm familiar feeling in your stomach, once you get back.  Suddenly she wasn't herself anymore, well not the self she knew now.  The self she remembered being.

______________________________ _

"Mommy!  I was playing with Ger and his-his-his eye fell ouuuuut!" tears were streaming down her face and her heart was broken because the eye of her best friend had just fallen out, right in the middle of the tea party.  And worst of all she couldn't find it! (Her parents later told her that when she was teething she used to chew on that eye, but she couldn't remember.)  

She was seven years old and still fiercely attached to her life long partner Ger.  All of her friends had stuffed animals that were pink bunnies, blue unicorns, and fuzzy bears, and they all had fluffy names like, Bunnya, and Hoppy, and Feather, and Winnie the Pooh.  Once she had found that she wanted to name her panther, she was stuck for days trying to think of something tough to name him.  

She had decided at the age of four that it was as he.  Anything as cool as he was, was way too cool to be a girl.  All of her friends and their stuffed animals never went on cool adventures like she and her panther did.  

One day while facing The King of the Lions in the jungle, panther growled and suddenly she knew what her panther's name was.  Ger!  That was the time he beat the King of the Lions, and he and she reined supreme over the jungle, until dinnertime. 

"Ohh, honey, do you know where Ger's eye went?" her mother's voice was so soft and sympathetic as she knelt down and put her arms around Faye's waist and looked at her.

She shook her head sadly, and uttered a teary, "Nooooooo," and cried harder.

"Ohh, don't worry, Faye, we will get Ger a new eye, and it will be just as good as his old one." 

The young Faye sniffed and looked up at her, "Really?"

"Yes but you've got to let me have him, so that I can get him a new eye when I go shopping."

"Why do you need to take him?" fresh tears coming to her eyes.

"So that I can make sure that his new eye looks like his old one." She said patiently, as she rubbed Faye's back. Faye walked solemnly back to her room and came back, carrying her comrade.  She came back and stood in front of her mother, whom she adored and wanted to be like when she grew up.  She silently held Ger out; her mother bent down and took Ger from her carefully.  "Don't worry Faye he will be as good as new.  I promise."  Faye nodded and walked off to talk her nap.  She was an obedient child, and she knew it was time anyway.

Later that day after her nap, and a very depressing Tea Party, (she would have gone out into the jungle to look for a rematch with the King of the Lions, but Ger was not there) her mother called her into the kitchen.  "Faye! I found a new eye for Ger!" she smiled, and handed Ger down to her.

Faye took one look at his face and burst into tears, "But it's different!" she wailed.

"I know Faye, I couldn't find an eye that looked like his.  But you know what?"

She looked up at her mother.  "He's special now, he's the only panther with two different eyes."

A smile broke out on Faye's face, "Thank you Mommy!" she cried and threw her chubby arms around her mother's neck.

"Hey what's goin' on here?" asked her father, just home from work.

She shrieked and laughed as she ran to her father yelling about Ger's new eye, with the stuffed animal in one hand.  He picked her up and swung her around over his head.  She was smiling and laughing and so were her parents.

______________________________ _

She unfroze and hissed, "Where did you get that?"

"That's not important.  What's important is our deal." He countered smoothly.

'What is with this guy, how did he get Ger?  I'm gonna kick his sorry ass. But why does he want the guys? (Uhh, why don't you ask him?)'

"Why do you want my partners?" she asked, "Not that I really care, but I think that I deserve to know." She added quickly.

"Well, I'm, you could call me some kind of middleman.  I work with different clients and groups that want something.  I get paid to do what ever it takes to deliver what my clients want. A European syndicate wants Mister Black-" he was about to continue when Faye interrupted him, "Why?"  

"I'm sorry I can't disclose that information.  Spike Spiegel is wanted by the Red Dragon Syndicate," at this she stiffened 'What the hell is up with everybody and syndicates?  I thought that we were through with that shit after Spike…' her thoughts were cut off as Pizzarro continued, "And my profession could use the help of someone like your friend Radical Edward.  It would make jobs like mine much easier."  She hadn't even considered that he would want Ed.

"Ok here's how I want it." She started thinking quickly, "You will release the hostages, give me my panther, and then we will discuss how to get my partners to you."

He smiled evilly, "Alright."

Outside:  The first thing on all their minds had been what was up with the freakin' stuffed animal?

Jet had balked at the mention of his brush with the syndicate.

Spike didn't react at all when the Red Dragon syndicate had come up; he already knew they were after him.  His interest had slightly peaked at the mention of Jet's name and the word syndicate in the same sentence. All of them found a stronger dislike for Pizzarro with his remark about needing Ed for his business. 

 Ed had minimized the picture of Faye and Pizzarro to take up only one half the screen.  While in her goggles and on the keyboard she was surfing the net.  She wasn't really listening to the conversation.  All of a sudden something interesting popped up. She smiled, and started typing and the picture of Faye disappeared for a second and then came up as two-way link that mean that in the room in the bank Faye could see Ed's head and Spike and Jet's torsos.  She tried hard not to stare.  Under no circumstances could he be allowed to turn around.

Ed smiled, and poked a key.  Something with Pizzarro's picture popped upon Faye's screen she quickly read it.  Pizzarro had a bounty on his head.  That was good and bad; it meant that she couldn't shoot him if she wanted the bounty.  Soon after the picture was once again replace by Ed's head, she waved at Faye.

Pizzarro stood up, Faye saw a panicked look cross Ed's face, she started typing rapidly, and less than a second later the hallways replaced her face.

"I want you to slowly escort the hostages to the exit, it would behoove you not to try anything. You are not to leave the building.  Then return here and we will discuss the situation with your partners."  He said.

'She's probably pissed that she has to take orders form this guy.' Spike thought as he saw her eyes narrow. 'She knows that me and Jet can take cake of ourselves, but Ed… I hope she knows what she's doing.' A frown and worried look passed over his face before being quickly replaced by a look of bored interest.

NFA: I hope that wasn't too confusing.  I really liked writing the memory; please tell me what you think of it. Umm, hm-hm-hmmm. Please review.

Next time on Life in General, After the Fall (or the chapter after that, I'm not sure when but soon):

"No one touches my stuffed animal and gets away with it."

That's a really short preview, I know…


	7. Middleman pt 3

            Man! This took so long! Between school and homework and never being able to get on to the computer because it was too late, I never got to do anything!  Sorry.

More Appreciation

Yay! Thank you to all who reviewed my last chapter. **Shari Hirtle** for making me think.  **Kyra **thanks, for your memory. (I feel like The Giver. Has anyone read that book?) I had a bunny with long spirally ears named Bunnya.  I already have a plan for Attack of the Stuffed Panthers, if it's good enough I think I will post it, once I get it outlined and written.  Just thinking about in makes me laugh J.  **Suki **still loves my story! Yay! Thank you all.

Hey, guess what?  I wrote a songfic called Once You Had Gold someone please go and read it.  I had been dying to write a songfic forever, and I finally did.  Umm, I don't think much of it; just want some reviews for what people think.  More song than fic, but if you're bored then go read it. 

Okay, last chapter… short preview, sorry.  Umm, I ended it awkwardly.  So right into things this time.  This is the end of the Middleman chapters, I think.

Middleman pt. 3

'I swear I'm gonna take this guy out right after I get Ger!' Faye was pissed that she had to take orders from Pizzarro.  She thought that as she walked slowly behind the group of hostages.  Pizzarro had allowed them to be un-gagged so that it would be easier, but he wouldn't allow them to be untied.

As they walked down the stairs the little girl tripped and fell.  She started to cry.  The woman who was her mother started to turn back to comfort her when Pizzarro's voice came harshly over the P.A. "Don't stop walking." She stopped and turned leaving her daughter on the floor, she kept turning around anxiously to see her. The other hostages stopped and waited anxiously wondering what was going to happen to them. The little girl continued to cry. 'Bastard' Faye thought as she knelt down next to the little girl.

"Are you ok?" Faye asked the little girl and touched her shoulder.  Pizzarro came over the P.A. and told the other hostages to stop.

She nodded, and when she looked at Faye she flinched away, "Are you going to hurt us too?" she asked.

"No." Faye said softy, "Are you okay?" she repeated, and looked at her knee.

The little girl looked at her knee, which was turning red, "Will you kiss it?" she asked tearfully looking up at Faye. Faye nodded gently, and softly kissed her knee.  Faye looked at her, and she looked at Faye and smiled, "Yes."  'Kids…. jeeze, at leased their easily appeased.' She sighed, and stood up and took the little girls hand, "Come on."  She looked at the rest of the women and saw that they were afraid, she tried to look reassuring as she motioned for the to continue.

Outside: Lets just as no one had expected that act of kindness to come from the Untouchable Shrew Woman.

Spike was very surprised and watched intently as Faye and the little girl made their way behind the group to the exit.  'Never expected that.'

Jet was thinking along the same lines.  The little girl looked up at Faye and started talking to her, and Faye looked down art her and smiled as she awnsered.  Spike wanted to know what they were talking about, 'what could Faye possibly have to say to a five-year-old?' 

"My name is Emily and I just turned five." The little girl said brightly. Holding up one hand to elaborate, "What's your name?"

"My name is Faye." She said smiling down at Emily, " and I am twenty-three." She said, half hoping that the kid would shut up.  She was cute, but Faye need to think and she really didn't have time to make small talk with a five-year-old.

Emily's eyes widened as she looked up at Faye, "Do you know how many fingers that is?" she looked at her one hand. "That's…" she trailed of as she was thinking.

At this point they reached the front door.  The sliding glass doors opened and Faye said, "You can go now." She let go of Emily's hand.

They almost ran out of the building, Emily said, "Bye!" before running after her mother who looked pale and worried.

They saw Faye and the group of women come up to the front doors.  Faye let go of the little girl's hand; she said something and the group made their way out of the building.  Faye stood just inside the door as the little girl turned and said something to Faye and then ran forward to her mother.  Spike arm itched to reach out and pull her away, just so she wouldn't be in there anymore.  He wanted her out of the building.  But instead of coming out she turned away and for just a second their eyes met.  She turned and made her way back up to the tenth floor.

He watched her as she made her way through the halls.  Her face was dead set.  When he had met her eyes they had been cold, and angry.  'She can't seriously be really doing this, she wouldn't.'  He hoped.  

"I want my panther." Faye stated coldly.  She held out one hand.

"Demanding aren't we." Pizzarro said sitting in his chair.

"I held up my end of the bargain, now it's your turn."

"Fine."  He picked Ger up off the desk and handed it to her.  She sat down in the chair that she had occupied previously; "Now down to business…" he said standing up.

'Ok, plan: step one, get Ger, step two, take out Pizzarro, step three, get bounty.  No too complicated right?  God, I hope so.'  She mentally steeled her self and thought, 'Here goes,' as her body tensed in preparation to attack. 

NFA: Ok it's not the end I guess.  I just don't have the time to finish it all now.  The next part will be the conclusion to this and the start up for what I'm going to focus on for the next few chapters.  Sorry to leave you hanging again.  See you next time I get some time to finish the next chapter.

Also thanks to **Hurly foxx@aol.com **who reviewed while I was away.  Thank you much.   Please review.

Next time on 

Life in General, After the Fall:

"No one touches my stuffed animal and gets away with it."

(Yes I know, same as last time.  Well it was supposed to happen _this _time, but it didn't so… next time. )

Have a nice day.


	8. Middleman pt 4

            Yeah! Alright! 17 reviews!   Yeah, yeah, there are people out there with like two hundred and seventy bazillion reviews, and quite frankly, they deserve them.  But I'm pretty darn proud of my seventeen.  (Maybe someday I will throw a twenty reviews party, hint hint.J.  Just kidding about the party thing.)  

            Thank you to my most recent reviewers, **Suki**, **Shari Hirtle**, and **Kyra**.  All of you came back and reviewed!  Thanks you guys.  You are wicked cool.  Ahhh, no worries I've got it covered.

            Ok, I'm so sorry that this whole Middleman thing became long and drawn out.  It was only supposed to be two parts… L.  But this is the end.  The last Middleman chapter, thank god.  But it was fun to write the memory and the thing with Emily.  I just realized that so far this is like one big Faye focused story.  But it will start to shift a little bit at the end of this chapter if all goes as planed.  Get back to some others.  There might actually be some intentional humor in here somewhere.  Normal Bebop kinda thing, near the end, I hope.  It would be good to get back to my title, after all. Still thinking about changing it, but I don't want to confuse people.  Do-ti-do, k on with the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

'Thoughts are in single quotes'

(Things in parenthases are when a character answers his/ or herself.) 

Middleman pt. 4

            'What the hell is she going to do?  She's going to get herself killed!  She can't even fight that well.  She should have just gotten out of the building when she had the chance, but nooo, she had to go back for the stupid stuffed animal.' He learned forward closer to the screen.  Spike saw Faye tense in the chair like she was about to pounce on the guy.  Suddenly she sat back and relaxed, Spike sighed, releasing a breath that he didn't know he had been holding.  'At leased she didn't go and get in over her head, faster than you can blink like usual.'  Her face had become impassive, and calm, as she listed to Pizzarro's proposal as to how she should deliver the crew of Bebop to him.  'What _is_ she thinking?'  He hated it when he couldn't tell.  

"I want you to bring your partners to the fountain in Aerlond Square at sundown tomorrow." 

Pizzeria stated.  Faye nodded, but she hadn't been paying attention to Pizzarro's words.  She was busy deciding how she should take on this guy, or even if she should.  Maybe she should say that she had to go to the bathroom and make a run for it.  Or she could try to get him that way he couldn't pull another stunt like this.  He was about a head and a half taller that she was and thin.  He didn't look muscled, but she couldn't tell because of the suit.  She watched how he moved as he talked, he was graceful and his movements smooth, but not powerful, they didn't belie any power, like was trying to control himself.  He looked like a normal businessman.  Not muscular, just made for sitting on his butt all day and typing, and making business transactions.  But that didn't mean that he couldn't fight.  She would have to take her chances if she wanted to get out of here _and_ get the bounty.  'I have a gun but that doesn't mean that I have to kill him.  I'll just disable him.  Shoot him in the leg or something, just so that if he can fight his leg is disabled or something. Sounds good-' her thought were interrupted by Pizzeria, good thing she was done thinking anyway.

"Arnold Square, tomorrow, at sundown, understand?" he demanded sharply eyes narrowed at her.

"Yeah, I understand," she said smirking and looking at him through half closed eyes 'relax' she coached herself. " Crystal clear." She stood and drew her gun in one smooth motion. He stepped back at the sight of her gun; he tried to turn, to go somewhere.  Faye shot him in his right foot, right through his shiny back shoe.  He screamed in pain. And grasped his foot.  He looked up and started to say something, but before he could say anything she hit his as hard as she could with the butt of her gun.  He fell like a dead weight at her feet. 

"Is it me or was that too easy?" she asked herself out loud.

"It was too easy." came Spike's taunting vice over the P.A.  She smiled to herself and ignored him, "Ed can you get the elevators working? I don't have to drag this creep down the stairs."

  'God this guy must have thought that I was stupid or something.  He was really weak.  I thought that… well I don't know what I thought, but this guy was _so_ not worth my time.  I could have just avoided this whole situation if I just did that in the first place.' She sighed and smacked her forehead with her palm.

"Edward has the elevators going Faye–Faye!" Ed said cheerfully.

She leaned down and grabbed a hold of the back of Pizarro's collar and started to drag him out of the room.  She would have to ask Ed where the nearest elevator was.  She had Ger under one arm, 'First adventure in a long time, huh partner?' she asked him. She smiled again.

LATER

            "Thank you for your, uh, assistance…" said Benzo nervously.

"Yeah your welcome, can I have the money now?" she asked impatiently. "Oh, and in two shares please?" she added sweetly.

Benzo looked annoyed as he grunted and handed her two cash cards.  He looked very disgruntled. 

She walked out of the station head held high; Spike and Jet were leaning against the wall smoking.  Ed was sitting singing, _'He past to close to the sun carrying thirty thousand tons of bananas._'  She looked down at Ed, " Here kid."

"Ohhh, pretty!"  She said holding it up to the last rays of the setting sun. 

"Hey do I get some?" Spike asked eyeing her card.

"No."

"Hey that's not-"

"You didn't help me, but Ed did so she gets half."  She smiled at him she had spilt it 50/50 between her and Ed just to annoy him.

She turned and started to make her way to her Redtail.  Behind her she heard Spike ask Ed if he could have her card. "Don't give it to him Ed!" she yelled over her shoulder.

"Okalie dok cow poke!" Ed said zooming past Faye. 

"How much was he worth?" Jet asked Faye as he and Spike caught up with her.

"Forty thousand."

"That's all?  Never mind then I don't want any."  Spike said pretending that the fact that Faye was now twenty thousand richer didn't bother him as he climbed into his ship. 

"Maybe I'll buy you something," she said opening the link between their ships.

            He looked mildly surprised, "Really? And what might this something be?" he said curious.

            "A comb." She smirked at him.  Spike rolled his eyes and cut the link. 'I can't wait to get some sleep.' He thought as fragments of the day sleepily made their way through his mind.  Images of Faye holding that little girl's hand, pointing her gun up Benzo's nose, and standing in the shadow of the building that he had been afraid, for a tiny second that he wouldn't see her leave.  He sighed, it was over and if Faye bought him that comb he could probably pawn it for a couple of woolongs to buy something useful. 

NFA:  Would like to thank Ned Flanders and the late Harry Chapin.  It was fun to write these chapters, thank you for all of you guyses patience while I struggled to get this Middleman thing done with.  Please Review.  Might be a while before the next update.  I can already feel the writer's block. J. Ug..

See you later!

Have a nice day. 


	9. Set Your Phasers to Comb

Thank you **Strife21** for the review! Yay, that's the first one from you! Thanks so much! 

Ok, now that the whole Middleman situation is done, and over with, I can get on with character developments (now that they've developed some moneyJ)  Yay! Character interaction! Finally, I had to set up some other stuff before I could get here.  I'm kinda disappointed that I don't get to write about Benzo.  Ok, well this is just a short in between-er kind of thing just to get warmed up for the incoming stuff.  Have to get out of that mode.

ERRRT! 'Scuze me while I change lanes *switches gears* (no I don't drive a car it was all metaphorical) Sorry…

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop. Darn.

'Thoughts are in single quotes'

(Thingys in parenthases are when a character answers him/herself)

Flashbacks are indicated by a line_____ _

Doo-ho-hum… that's it.

Set Your Phasers to Comb

            Spike was on the couch trying to sleep, as usual, with his hands behind his head.  Jet was tending to his bonsai and muttering something about his lazy shipmates who never did a thing.  Faye had left around lunch saying that she was going out and was going to be back later.  Ed was, somewhere.  Every once and a while you would hear and echoing laugh or howl or bark, any which of these things could belong to Ed or Ein.  

Most likely Ed.  The day was Saturday, and they had gotten the bounty on Pizzarro yesterday.  Or more like Faye and Ed got the bounty money.  'Can't believe that she didn't share with us.  (Well you never share with her when you get a bounty)  'So?  Even if I did the shrew wouldn't have given me anything anyways.  Ungrateful wench.  She should have at least paid Jet some of what she owes him.  One thing was for sure, there's no way I will _ever_ see that comb she was talking about.  Not that I would want it even if she did get me one.  (You know you want her… No! To give you the comb, to give you the comb, the comb!  Sorry.)  No I wouldn't.  She only thinks of herself.'  Eventually these thoughts led to thoughts of Julia, which were comforting, but sad.  They made him extremely moody and bad tempered.

________________________________________ _  

Between running from what was left of the syndicate, and getting himself fixed up, he hadn't allowed himself to think about Julia or anything that had transpired on that day.  One day when all that krap was over with he had rented a room at a hotel and locked himself in.  That was when everything had overwhelmed him. It was the longest twelve hours of his life.  He wanted to lay on that bed forever until he died, or get up for his gun and shoot himself, somehow just end it.  There wasn't any reason to hang around.  There was nothing left.  Everything was gone, everything that he had worked so hard for, down the porcelain pee hole.

Then the wind blew through his window, he had left it open while cursing the universe for taking Julia from him.  It was morning and this stupid little yellow balloon sporting a wide smile and two black eyes floated by, and was swept away by the wind.  For the first time in almost two months he thought of Bebop, and that time with the satellite and meeting Ed, and when Ed took control of their ship with her remote control thing.  And when Ed got all of them high on those mushrooms.  And then that time when they had gone to Earth to get a beta player, only to find when they got back, that according to Ed that it didn't play beta, it was a 'VHS'.  'Man that was a drag.'  And for the first time he thought about Faye.  A smile had, unnoticed, made it's way across his face as he remembered these things.  He decided that during what ever he did from then on, that he would keep an eye out for his old comrades.  He sighed.  He got his stuff and checkout of the hotel.  Three weeks later he ran into Faye, or rather she drove up to him on a motorcycle and demanded that he climb on.  

_________________________________________ _

'Speak of the devil.' He thought as he heard Faye's motorcycle pull in.

"So, have fun at the bank?" he asked tauntingly as she came in to the lounge, he knew very well where she had been.

 She glared at him as she sat down in the chair on the other side of the table.

"I thought so." He smirked.

That stupid smirk of his infuriated her.  Instead of rising to the bait, her sat back with a knowing look on her face and said lightly, "More fun then the bank."

He closed his eyes tilting his head back at the ceiling and asked casually, "Did ya get me anything?" he had no clue why his heart was beating so fast even why he was asking in the first place.  'Since when do I care if she buys me something?  Jeeze...' he scolded himself.  What came next was completely unexpected.

"Well let's see… I just might have something for you here…" she said as she got up and walked over to him.  "Hmm…. Ah Ha!  Here it is!" she said as she whipped something out of her back pocket.  A huge smile was on her face and Spike was so shocked that his cigarette had fallen out of his mouth, and was quietly smoldering on the floor.  

It was a bright pink, plastic comb.  She laughed as she sat down on his chest and brutally attacked his hair.  When she sat down all the air had been squashed out of him and he was struggling to breath.  And then Faye had shoved the comb in his hair and was pulling, but the comb was stuck in his hair.

"Come on!" she murmured with every tug at his hair.  He screamed as she pulled harder and managed to push her off himself.  His head and scalp were pounding.  It wasn't enough that he was in a bad mood, but Faye had to go and try to comb his hair.  "Damnit Faye! What the hell was that for?!  Freakin' shrew…" he trailed off to angry to keep going.  He growled at the smile on her face.  'I knew no good could come from this woman.'

That smile was still on her face as she watched Spike tug gently at the comb lodged in his hair.  She got up and started to walk up to her room.  "He get your ass back here and get this thing out!" Spike yelled at her coming around the corner.  She turned around to face him.  She hardly stifled and outburst of laughter.  Spike looked very angry as he stomped up to her, but the pink comb that stuck out of his green hair at a ridiculous angle ruined the effect.

"You actually trust me to do that?" she said one hand still covering her mouth and the other came across her chest to support her elbow.  Even though her hand hid her face you could tell she was smiling, her eyes sparkled.  

(Ok, now, picture that look Spike had on his face when he was hammered in "Heavy Metal Queen")

"On second thought, I don't." he turned away from her.  He heard her laughter as he walked down the hallway.  "Jet!" he yelled.

NFA: Haha! Ok, I hope you guys liked this chapter.  It was just an in between-er, doesn't advance the plot all that far, but I hadn't expected to go into the flashback.  Hope it was Ok.  Yah, I know the title was lame, but I found it pretty amusing.  And somehow appropriate. J  More later.

Please review! I hope this was at least a little funny; it was my first attempt to be humorous on purpose since chapter 1 and the Starr, light joke in chapter 4, I believe.

Have a nice day- Oh! Wait the preview!

Next time on Life in General, After the Fall:

They both sat in the lounge, Spike on the couch, and Faye in the chair.  Faye was reading a magazine and Spike had been trying to sleep until Faye had walked in with that stupid stuffed Panther sitting on her right shoulder.  She had been trying to ignore his hair and not bust out laughing.  He knew it.  He was also trying not to laugh at the sight of Faye reading her magazine with this stuffed animal on her shoulder as if it was the most natural, normal thing in the world.

Her eyes flicked to his hair and a smile appeared on her face and she ducked her head biting her lip.  "Say anything and you die." He said casually.

She managed to make the smile disappear and replied with a straight face, "_You_ say anything and _you_ die."  They glared at each other for a second and then nodded silently.

NFA: Wow, long preview, notice I didn't say anything about the comb only his hair…

Sorry, short again, the chapters will get longer, promise.   


	10. Something Different

Gods, all of my other chapters are on my Dad's laptop so I have no way, unless…..OH! Be right back. Well that little adventure was not helpful, stupid Microsoft Word…

**Suki** double time! Yah! Thank you soo much! And **Strife21** wait until you see what happens to poor Spike next! (no more combs!) And a review from **Casey**, someone who is new, than you! 

I hope your roommates are nice, and I don't mind listening to you vent, thank you , thank you, and I love the motorcycle thing too. More motorcycles in the future.^_^. Thank you **Kyra** for double reviews! **Everybody Check out the reviews page! I wrote another something there** 

Took long enough. Oi, I'm afraid that these next couple of chapters might be kind of non satisfactorial. I'm desperately trying to figure out how to set it all down properly. So if it bugs, I'm so sorry. Once its figured out things should be running smoothly. Things must be done and explained before I really get anywhere, and I hate that. I never get a lot of time to do one good long chapter. Well I'll just make some.

Disclaimer: I don't own Cowboy Bebop. I think the only thing I have is an Ohio quarter that I've been saving. But I might have used that for lunch money or something.

Thoughts are in 'single' quotes

Flashbacks are indicated by a line____ _

(Did you know that there are 41 underscore marks to each flashback line? I counted and made sure that it was the same every time.^_^. I'm such a doofus)

Something Different

"Jet!" Spike yelled angrily, as he stomped down the hall her laughter echoed behind him. She was getting on his nerves. He didn't see what was so funny about nearly ripping his hair out of his head with a neon pink comb. " What the hell is so funny about this Faye, that hurt!" he whirled on her still fuming.

She took a couple of steps toward him from her end of the hallway. "Well, I got a PINK comb stuck in Mr. Jeet Kune Do I'm Gonna Kick Your Ass So Cool Spiegel's black or green or what ever inhuman color your hair is, hair. And you're really angry, but you have a pink comb sticking out of your head." she explained. He glared at her, that was obviously not the answer that he was looking to hear, "Well its not really that funny that I hurt you." She paused and looked a little thoughtful, "Actually , well it kinda-" he took a menacing step forward. "I'm not laughing at you I'm laughing with you!" she explained, and then burst out laughing again.

"Wench." he muttered as he walked off to find Jet.

Jet was in is bonsai room, pruning his miniature trees, figuring out which ones needed water, and which needed trimming. He was currently wrapping a strip of wire around one of the branches on a bonsai that had grown a bit unruly from not being tended to. The wire was to help the bonsai grow the right way. Bonsai grew very slowly, but Jet could tell. He wanted to finish this before he was interrupted and accidentally mutilated something, whether it be the bonsai or the person who would cause him to mutilate his bonsai. He had heard spike call his name a few moments ago, and he hoped that Spike didn't need him anymore.

"Jet!" Spike's voice coming from right outside his door caught him off guard and his hand that was wrapping the branch with wire jerked and ripped the branch right off the miniature tree. The branch and wire hung limply from his right hand. His eyebrow twitched. He turned to yell at Spike when his eyes were distracted by something pink? Lodged in Spike's hair.

He covered the laugher rising in his throat by clearing it, "Nice do. Uh, what happened to you?" He looked ridiculous with that comb sticking off his head. As far as he knew such a thing had never been seen on Bebop before. He wondered where it came from and how in god's name it had gotten into Spike's hair.

Spike shot Jet a dirty look, before saying, "Well, Faye was feeling particularly charitable, and she bought me a comb." he explained sarcastically. " Then she decided to help me comb my hair!" his clenched fist shook. He sighed, " It's stuck and," he looked away from Jet, " I need you to get it out." He would only admit needing help to anyone in the most extreme of circumstances, and he really need to get this comb off his head.

Obviously Spike needed his help and would not appreciate being tormented about it so Jet controlled himself, and said, "Okay, come here." Jet turned in his chair to face Spike and took off his gloves. Spike stepped forward and uncomfortably kneeled down in front of Jet and tilted his head towards him. He studied a bonsai clipping on the floor while Jet made small grunting noises as he gently tugged, and poked at the comb. He tried to peer past his forehead to see the comb, but that was impossible.

"Um, Spike?"

"Yeah, Jet?"

"It won't come out- " he stopped as Spike tried to get away, most likely to hunt down and kill the shrew. He grabbed a fistful of Spike's hair to stop him 

"OW!" he yelled from that pain of suddenly being stopped short by his hair. He moved reluctantly back to his former position. "Fine."

'Sometimes Spike acts like such a child' Jet thought tiredly. "The only way to get the comb out is to cut it."

Spike looked up at him incredulously, "No way! No way am I cutting my hair." he replied stubbornly.

"Do you really want to go around with that thing until it works itself out?" Jet asked crossing his arms over his chest. "You and I both know what Faye would say." That last sentence was what broke him. He looked around sullenly, futilely trying to think of a way to get out of this without doing anything to his hair, but alas there was no other answer.

"Okay I'll be back in a few minutes." Spike said darkly, and stalked out of the room and went to the bathroom to say goodbye to his hair. He wanted to remember it how it had been before Faye had cruelly attacked it.

They both sat in the lounge, Spike on the couch, and Faye in the chair. Faye was reading a magazine and Spike had been trying to sleep until Faye had walked in with that stupid stuffed Panther sitting on her right shoulder. She had been doing that lately sometimes, going around with that thing on one shoulder. She had been trying to ignore his hair and not bust out laughing. He knew it. He was also trying not to laugh at the sight of Faye reading her magazine with this stuffed animal on her shoulder as if it was the most natural, normal thing in the world.

Her eyes flicked to his hair and a smile appeared on her face and she ducked her head biting her lip. "Say anything and you die." He said casually.

She managed to make the smile disappear and replied with a straight face, "_You_ say anything and _you_ die." They glared at each other for a second and then nodded silently.

About an hour earlier Jet had cut the comb out of Spike's hair. He had done his best not to botch it, and it looked alright after Jet was finished. The end result was that there was a patch near the front of Spike's head where the hair was about two inches shorter then the rest. You didn't notice it unless you looked directly at his hair; but with his hair being so incredibly green, it was almost impossible not to look directly at it.

Suddenly Faye fell off the chair, and on to the floor, rolling from fits of laughter. "What did you do--do to it?!" Ger and the magazine were left on the chair as she laid on the floor laughing.

If Spike's eyebrow twitched when he was angry it would have been twitching like mad. He was totally fed up with this shit, and wasn't about to take any more from her. He lunged forward and grabbed Ger off the chair and stood triumphantly before Faye with Ger dangling by his tail from Spike's hand. Faye looked up at spike and was wiping a tear from the corner of one eye, when her brain registered that Spike had Ger and didn't look like he planned on hugging it. 'O krap.' she thought

"Hey! Give him back!" she said earnestly to Spike. She stood up trying to look as large and in charge as her small frame would allow her to. She reached out for Ger, but Spike pulled it easily out of her reach

She looked pretty serious, "Why ?" he said tauntingly down to her. He smirked at her and a looked past over her face before being hidden again. 'She's actually worried about this thing? Well good, I'll teach her a lesson ,' he smirk widened as this ran through his head.

"Spike, give it back, NOW."

"Hmm," he paused to pretend that he was thinking, "No." he turned and started walking away swinging Ger in circles by his tail. Faye lunged at his back growling. He turned around and pushed her away before she could tackle him and swung Ger up over his head.

"Spike, stop!" her voice pleading and her eyes followed Ger as he swung around over Spike's head.

"No." he chuckled and took another step back. Faye's eyes widened she heard a ripping sound. Spike saw her face and then he felt Ger go sailing across the room to land belly up on the couch. He stupidly looked up at his hand an saw Ger's tail.

Faye had gone several shades paler and slowly walked to the couch, and knelt down in front of Ger. She was past holding how much the stuffed animal meant to her in, past everything, it was just too much. She reached out slowly and picked up Ger pressing him into her chest, her head bowed. Her hair hung forward screening her face from view.

Spike didn't have a clue what to say, his mind had kind of frozen on the fact that the stuffed animal was over there, and it's tail was in his hand. He hadn't meant to break it just to tease her, maybe hide it from her and not give it back for a long time, but not break it. From the whole Pizzarro thing he had some idea of how much it meant to her, it was the only thing from her past that she had, other than the beta. He felt sad and immediately remembered, everything, with Whitney and the beta and when she told Ein her story, and her struggle to try and remember, anything. He genuinely feared for his life now, because she hadn't said anything. He took a couple of steps forward, " Faye, I-I didn't, I'm…" he trailed unable to think of an adequate thing to say. 

When he had spoken she hadn't even acknowledged that he had said anything. Now, though she stood, still not looking up and stood in front of Spike. She reach out and held out her right hand. Spike placed the tail in her hand. She closed her fingers and withdrew her hand. It was then she looked up at him. 

She had been shocked at first, unable to believe that one part was on the couch, and the other was in Spike's hand. That her beloved stuffed animal was in pieces. Then she thought well it's just a toy why should I care? But she did it was _hers. _Not just some toy, and Spike had broken it, just to get back at her. Yeah she had laughed, and maybe she didn't know when to leave well enough alone, but he _broke_ it. She went hot then cold, and then hot again. She looked at him and said venomously, "How could you?" he voice was deathly quiet.

"Why did you have to go that far?"

He didn't know what to say, he was torn between trying not to care and trying to apologize.

"I hate you! You stupid lunkhead!" she screamed childishly, unable to form proper words to express her anger. Tears were running down her face, and then she punched his as hard as she could muster, and stomped off to her room. He could hear her sniffling as she went. He just laid on the floor trying to breath. 

Jet came out from somewhere and asked, "What did you DO to her?"

Without answering Jet Spike got up and went to Faye's door. He could hear her crying through the door. He had done plenty of stuff to her before, but she had never been so devastated over anything that he could remember. He knocked. "You broke him! Go away!" came through the door. He opened it and leaned in a little. A pillow came flying at his head, he shut the door before it hit him. 

At that moment Ed rolled by saying, "Doo-DOO-doo! You can not reach this number as dialed, please hang up and try again!" Ein ran by a couple of seconds later barking.

Spike sighed, and pulled out a cigarette.


	11. Retro Introspection

COUSTOMER APPRECIATION (you must read this)

Hello!

Gosh! I jumped up and ran around screaming, when I read all of my reviews! Then I went and told my brother whose ten and could care less. That seems like overreacting, but I was so happy, and warm and fuzzy. You guys totally made my Labor Day weekend! 

Then it was spoiled when I thought that Tuesday was Monday so I brought my bookwork and not my gym cloths. We do book work, and we actually have books for gym($54.oo to replace), on Mondays and Wednesdays, so I lost **5** five points on my overall grade. And we were getting graded on our run that day, so I have to make that run up on Friday. Don't ask, it's **demented**.

You know what this calls for? A celebration! No not really, COUSTOMER APPRECIATION!!!

Thank you to **Moonwhisper**, and **Moonfairy** who reviewed my story for the first time, you're wonderful! Thank you to **Kyra**, the thing about Spike's Hair's grave stone was so funny,

__

"A skilled practitioner of the art of defying gravity

And a true work of art.

It was a listener

It was a spy

It was a brother

It was a glob of green hair"

That was great and, YAY! You got your disk! **Shari Hirtle**, less false happiness in the future, I promise. That whole thing was when I was having screen trouble and had to keep pressing enter to see what I had wrote. Thank you, thank you!(I was so happy to hear form you again!) Thank you **Cherry6124**, you rock!, and **Sydney** you can put it on your site, if you want to! (Cool!)

And **Chevron**, you finally read it! Yay! I'm so glad! See you at school! (her name here is something else, but I call her that because that's what her lunchbox says.)

**Kelly**! Everyone meet my friend Kelly who lives far, far away from me in a distant land that I used to call home. You got to read it, Yay! 

Goodness, I'm so happy. All reviewers are special, and I got the most reviews that I've ever gotten for one chapter. Thirty-one all together! It had been a while since I had done customer appreciation, so I thought that it was time again.

*************************************************************************************

Ok, now I will try to figure out how to carry on with this, hard transition. (Please point it out if I make a mistake, Oh, but dear god, please don't flame me! no one ever has.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop. (It turns out that that the quarter I have isn't even an Ohio quarter, just a plain old, uhh, let me see…1985 quarter.) look a cowboyà ): 3 or he can winkà ); 3 see it see it! The ) is the rim of the hat. 

Thoughts are in italics 

Flashbacks are indicated by a line____ _

Lyrics are separated or something you'll know.

When a character answers his/herself are in parentheses

Retro Introspection

_Faye had been listening to some funky shit all day, it would start off with a piano and then go into a whole guitar solo thing that was totally different form before. All of the songs had changes like that except for a few. And it wasn't in the least bit jazzy. Not my style, but it sounds cool. I don't have a clue where she got it, if you ask me I think that that shits older then she is by the sound of it. But that's just me. This one song was just ending and the last few lines were_

……….Someday soon we'll

Stop to ponder

What on Earths this spell we wonder

We made the grade

And still we wonder

Who the hell we are……

_I wonder where the hell she got it. Her songs are making me think too much. I've thought enough in the last few days to last me a lifetime. A lot of it just makes me depressed as hell. Like I don't feel that way usually. Though there's this one song that is kind of perky 'Come Sail Away With Me' it says. I don't know where she is but I'm gonna go tell her to shut it off. Don't need to be reminded. Some of it reminds me of her and some of it of me. We've been on the rocks since I broke her dumb stuffed animal. I don't see why it means so freakin' much to her. (yes you do) She hasn't spoken to me since, she's acting like a child (you would feel the same) no I wouldn't. (yes you would)_. 

Spike sighed and in his mind saw Faye's face whitened in disbelief and shock, and tears trembling on the edge of falling from her green eyes. He heaved himself up off the couch and walked past the stairs, down the hallway that led to the hanger, were a new song emanated from 

………..Soon as I find myself a crystal ball

Tell me, tell me

Where I'm going

I don't know where I been

Tell me, tell me

Won't you tell me

And then tell me again 

My heart is breaking

My bodies aching

And I don't know where to go

So tell me, tell me

Won't you tell me

I just gotta know……….

It went form this soft twangy sounding guitar to, an electric on accompanied by drums as Spike entered. The hanger doors were open, it was nice day on Ganymede. Ed was out on the deck playing with Ein and she was saying something along the lines of, "Red light, Blue Light, one sock, two sock, Red Fish Blue fish!" and then turning to Ein who was chasing her, "Of course you know this means WAR!"

And there Faye stood, in her yellow ensemble kind of just staring off in to the distance, she wasn't seeing what he saw; she was somewhere else altogether. 

As the singer continued Faye turned from the view of Ganymede and it's sparkling oceans and gulls to her motorcycle. She held a bottle of Windex in one hand and a rag in the other. She sprayed the windshield of bike a couple of times, still with that distant look on her face, and absently rubbed it.

She apparently didn't notice his presence. When some little insect remains wouldn't come off the windshield an annoyed look crossed her face as she 'huffed' and scratched at the bug remains with one fingernail. 

_It was kind of amusing and sad in a peaceful way, how she went about doing this-this normal task of cleaning. How she looked as she did it. She was completely unguarded like she had been when she watched Ed fly off to see the computer shop in the Space port at Orphis City._ He wondered what she was thinking about. _She just radiated this calmness, or peacefulness or something, not like me. A sad kind of calm and peaceful. Like acceptance. Wait, where the hell was all of this coming from? I must be loosing it. _

"Hey, Faye what you up to?" he asked coming in to view. He wasn't wearing the blue coat or the tie, just the yellow shirt, but other than that everything was normal. Except for Faye. The wind tugged gently at he hair as she turned to look at him. A shadowy look snuck across her face and then disappeared as she tried to look like she still wasn't angry and hurt. _It's been a whole week for heaven sakes! Jeeze!_ She turned away from him and went back to her motorcycle. They were still not on speaking terms, but he wouldn't stand for this shit. He was fed up.

"Faye why are you still ignoring me? It's been a whole week and Jet fixed it for you." he said dryly anger hinting in his voice. For a long while she said nothing Spike was about to start yelling when something barely audible fell from her lips.

"I only ever said one thing about her, your one thing, the one thing you had." she said in monotone, then paused and said, "I took the hint. But, you, the one thing that was my own……" she felt so tired and she didn't want to deal with this. Didn't want to explain to him. He didn't care anyways. He just wanted to end the silent treatment because it had screwed them up on the last bounty, their lack of communication. He noticed that the music had ended. 

And she frankly didn't want to care that he didn't care. He had done something unforgivable to her, and it seemed just a trifle to him, but it was so much more than that.

He stopped completely put out by her words. At first it was _Where does she get off thinking that she has the right to… _And then _oh, Julia…..yeah she was kinda like that, my one and only._ He smiled feeling warm and fuzzy at the memory. But then he suddenly understood why Faye had brought up Julia. That one time Faye had said something and he had gotten all on her case about it, and he never heard another word.

He guessed what she meant by the one thing that was her own, he had damaged it and hadn't said a word, just left it hanging. Faye hadn't left it hanging even though she had said something he didn't want said. She had left her pride behind for a second because he had said not to do that and she didn't. It reminded him again of what an ass he had been. _Why don't I just this once…._

"Faye…I'm sorry. I'm sorry I broke your thing." he said. His voice was deep and humble and quiet. She was started by this statement.

"Stuffed animal." she corrected stiffly, she turned to face him. His face was tilted down and at an angle. His eyes soft and locked an the floor, his hands shoved in his pockets. He looked very uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, about breaking your stuffed animal, I know that it meant a lot to you, and I didn't mean to break it, I was just angry, that was no excuse I know but I'm sorry." he repeated. Inside he was reeling. He had meant to stop right at the first sentence. _Why the hell did I say all that?! _he berated himself. 

He understood? This couldn't be… At leased he said that he understood. She smiled and looked at him seeing him differently this time. Just a little, but still. He had apologized. He cared. Well at leased enough to apologize to her. 

Instantly all the sadness and anger and ill wishes disappeared. One part of her wished for her to not forgive him so easily, said you can't make it that easy, but she did. She smiled softy and said, "Thank you." 

She immediately felt much better and so did Spike, lighter in a sense. Spike looked at Faye and saw the smile and heard the words.

Like the whole scene had never happened, Faye picked up, " What does it look like I'm doing, Lunkhead?" she then gave him her best 'I'm only putting up with your shit 'cause you live here too' look.

Putting her hands on her hips and waiting for his smart reply, a small smirk growing on her face, reminiscent of the one spike wore on his face. 

Holding true to what their friendship entailed he replied, "Can't ever tell with you…"

Suddenly a thought struck her, "You wanna go for a ride?" she asked feeling bold and looking directly at him.

He looked at her a slight question look kind of showed in his eyes, he smirked and answered, "Sure, let me get my jacket."

NFA: The two songs were The Grand Illusion and Crystal Ball by Styx, who are awesome and do great stuff. I was listening to Stella By Moor, you know that music box song at the end of Waltz for Venus, the whole time while I wrote this. Except for when I listened to Styx. 

I hope you liked this chapter. It feels different from the rest…. I hope everybody was ok in here. I don't think that Styx could be considered as retro, but oh well. I also hope it made sense, it confused me, maybe I'll revise this later. **Please review**!!

Next time:   
Might be an Ed chapter (I'm working on it!) or Driving song.


	12. Driving Song

Wow! Sometimes just sit here and think, "MAC! This can't be me! It just can't be! I wrote this its here and there are people from all over miles away reviewing, and its me, and its them and I just can't get over it.I mean it's still just mind boggling. If you think about it I man wholly MAC! Is this not one of the most amazing things that you've ever been a apart of? Whoever though this up should be awarded or promoted, or something, jeeze, am I making my point? Like last night I met two people from California and I asked about the hills in San Francisco that I had read about (I read way to much) and seen in movies. To me Sanfran is a dot on the other side of the of the country, and vise versa and they live there and I live here and, and we have the one thing that I wrote in common, well do you get it? And last night I talked so long to someone from Minnesota! Ok I think you understand... I hope that that helps explain.  
  
Ok, excitement to come! Thank you, Shari Hirtle *wide smile* thank you!! Strife21, I was patted! Thanks! YES, I KCK ASS! Thanks Sushigirl07!(^_^) Yes Shadow Raven I am one of those poor people *holds up 1985 quarter* sadly..but there is always Christmas.ne?  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop. Some other awesome people own it. (Don't sue! *holds up 1985 quarter*)  
  
Thoughts are in italics Flashbacks are indicated by a line____ _ Stuff in Parentheses are when a character answers his/herself  
  
  
  
  
  
Driving Song  
  
  
  
Spike went to his room to get his blue coat and Faye went to get on some pants and her jacket. Ed was lying on the table in front of the couch Tomato at one end and her feet and her head at the other, hanging off the edge. She was so hungry, and so was poor Ein. All the food was gone. Spike and Faye had thoughtlessly ate it all this morning.  
  
Even when they don't speak they still eat. Earlier she had been running around with Ein and Faye had cleaned her motorcycle. But the hunger had become just too much for her energy burning body. Ein was jus below her head on the floor. Ed moaned, "Ein, Ed is soooooo hungry!" her mouth stretched across there face in one long straight line, her eyes closed in hunger. She could feel her stomach churn and heard the growl of her stomach. Ein whimpered and looked at her.  
  
Suddenly an Idea hit her and she sat bolt upright, Spike-person and Faye-Faye are going somewhere! And Faye has not lost golden square! Yay, she will by Ed food!. Whenever Faye had a golden square and then didn't have it Jet-person always yells at her, so Ed thought that Faye always lost it. Ed's smile grew wide at the though of food .  
  
Spike had ended up walking in his room sitting on his bed and staring off into space lost in his own thoughts. Suddenly he snapped back as he heard Faye walking down the stairs. He got up putting his jacket and following her.  
  
She stopped at the hallway to the hanger and watched Spike come down the stairs. She was quite surprised and embarrassed that he had said yes. She didn't think that he would. They hadn't been on her motorcycle together since she found him one the street that time.  
  
He noticed her watching him and that trademark grin spread across his face, and as he descended the last few steps he said, "Well, where are we going?" At that moment Faye was glomped by Ed. Ed wrapped her arms around her waist over her jacket, and her legs around Faye's knees, "Faye-Faye!" Ed moaned piteously, "Go buy Edward and Ein some food, Please?" she asked looking up at Faye and making huge puppy dog eyes.  
  
Faye sighed, "Okay Ed, now let go."  
  
"Yay! Now Edward will have food! Ein we will have food! She said sliding down Faye's legs and then rolling backwards and picking up Ein. She danced with him as she sang, "Carrying thirty thousand tons of Bananas!! Jet Faye-Faye and Spike are going to go get food!!!" she said and and flew up the stairs to her room Ein in her arms. Faye was smiling after Ed. Like before.  
  
"So are we gonna get going?" he asked.  
  
"Now, and it looks like we'll be going on a shopping trip."  
  
"Uh, but we don't have any money." Spike said.  
  
"Who said that we didn't?" she repiled slyly walking out to the hanger. He started after her smiling, Things are ok. He decided as he heard her motorcycle revving up.  
  
Riding smoothly down the streets of Ganymede, buildings and trees on the median strip and people flashing by as blurs. Through an island over bridges that spanned over the sparkling oceans of Ganymede, they went. If she could have remembered it, it would have reminded her of Venice. Her hair flew back in his face and tickled his nose. She pulled up at a stoplight. After a moment the light turned green and she made a right, a huge shopping complex loomed in the distance seeming to float somewhere between the blues of the sea and the sky.  
  
After they had parked and found a good grocery store, Faye and spike started trying to figure out what to buy. Faye pushed the cart and spike walked beside her. Each would point at various things and the other would refuse.  
  
She had just pointed at a can of tuna fish and commented that tuna fish would be good to have sometime and Spike had looked at her like she had three heads. And commented that baked beans would be nice. She snorted at him.  
  
"I'm the one with the money here so I will decide what we buy." she said haughtily and moved on ahead ignoring Spike's comments about what she chose to buy. When she was finished and had gotten everything that she thought that they needed, she looked at Spike who looked a little deflated, and to try and be nice she said, "Ok now you can choose two things, mind you TWO!  
  
He patted her head greatly amused by the sour look on her face, smiled and ran off like a child that was just given a quarter for the gumball machine. She shook her head. A few minutes later he came back walking calmly with a can of baked beans in one hand and a package of egg rolls in the other. He carried them all the way to the check out counter and then but them on the conveyer belt and watched as each item was rung up. Faye slipped her cash card into the machine and watched the numbers fly. She still had quite a few woolongs left.  
  
As they walked through the shopping complex each of them two bags Faye tripped and landed in an ungraceful heap, crushing one of the bags. Spike could hardly contain is mirth, and laughed out loud and said "Good one Faye! What did you trip on this time? Yourself?" he continued laughing until Faye got up, growled and elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
"Shrew." he growled behind her back and followed.  
  
They teased one another good naturedly out to her motorcycle and then Faye loaded the groceries into her saddlebags. They were both on the cycle, and spikes arms were around her wait making Faye's face hot. She was about to start the engine when both their communicators beeped. The both reached into their pockets and simultaneously answered and said, "Yes?"  
  
Jet's face popped up and said, "Spike, Faye are you guys on your way back?"  
  
"Yeah." they both responded.  
  
Jet cocked an eyebrow, "What's up with that you two?" they looked at each other for a second and each was blushing oh so slightly.  
  
"Nothing." Spike said.  
  
"What's up?" Faye asked Jet.  
  
"Edwards got a new bounty right here on Ganymede."  
  
"Ok, be right there." Spike said.  
  
"And you two we'll be working as a team on this one so no arguing!" he said giving Faye stern look before disconnecting.  
  
"Well Faye you heard the man there's a bounty on the line!" he said smirking a and putting his arms around her again. "Let's get going."  
  
She started the engine and they few form the parking lot back to the Bebop.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
NFA:I figured out why this chapter and then other one feel different. It's because were doing descriptive writing in Language Arts class now...I hoped you liked it. What a domestic scene! More excitement, because the crew has a bounty! YAY! Please review!  
  
And while I was writing this I found some more change 4 quarters, 23 pennies and 8 dimes, and some foreign coin with idioms and an Orchid on it. Join me on my quest for spare change! PLEASE REVIEW! (Go check out Suchigirl07's A Gangster's A Gangsta)  
  
Oh and thank you to Cherry6124 who told me how to spell Ganymede. 


	13. Gloria G

Hum ho hum, I think I carried on a bit too much in the beginning of the last chapter…

**Kyra**, (double time!) I've grown? Seriously? YES!! *victory dance, then glomps Kyra* Thank you **Strife21** for your review and your contribution to the Search for Spare Change!!( Four nickels and a Canadian dime^_^) Thank you **Cherry6124, **your back too! **Suki**!! Twice in a row! Thank you!.   
**Leslie**, I've only ever eaten on egg roll, but I agree, egg rolls rock thank you. Thank you **Alonea**, that's my first from you! **Cowgirl13** my first from you as well, thank you so much.

Oh and did I say that the shoping scene was sort of inspired by a picture of Spike and Faye shopping that I have? Spike is holding two paper bags of food and Faye is holding two bags four boxes and a hat box looking thingy. (she didn't buy food) She's wearing this white dress and she looks like she's about to trip and drop all the boxes, because they're all stacked up in one arm, and Spike is like glancing at over at her. 

Gloria G.

After getting the call they sped home on Faye's motorcycle. She had half a mind to lean back in his arms. _No chance in hell I'm gonna do that!_ She scolded herself. It was more like this instinctive reaction to lean back. 

A smirk spread across his face as a thought dawned on him, _Doesn't the guy usually drive the lady around? Lady?_ He snorted and remembered the last time he thought that. _Well, Faye really isn't one to capitalize on the frailty of women, at all. Its like she feels that she has to be tough all the time…_

Jet was outside hanging laundry on the clothesline. Ed was sitting meekly in the round, woven laundry basket, staring off into space and looking miserable. Jet had asked her to look up bounties until Spike and Faye got back. Immediately she found a 612,400 woolong bounty. It was the best one in the area so Jet had decided that that would be the one that they would go after. As he called Spike and Faye, Ed had decided to sit around and wait for the food. 

As leaned back in the basket and looked at the sun and the wisps of clouds that sailed through the sky; she was hailed by a memory of sunlight and warmth and a woman...

She sky was so blue and she could remember feeling an over whelming sense of peace and security. She was lying on something soft and springy. It was a blanket on the grass. And the air smelled so good and filled her nose. There was a woman who sat on a fold out stool next to her. She hummed softly as she dipped a brush in various colored liquids and drew the brush over and back and forth on a canvas set up in front of her. At that moment she made sound and the woman looked down at her. The woman's skin was pale and soft, her eyes kind and inviting, were a brilliant green, just like the trees in her picture. Her hair was fiery red and very curly. It was pulled back into a low ponytail and hung halfway down her back. The woman leaned down and picked her up off the blanket and cradled her. Strands of the woman's hair tickled her nose, a beautiful smile breaking open on her face, wide and brilliant. 

Ed rocked in the basket and still staring and sang softy, "Glorious Gloria! Arty marty."

"Huh? What'd you say Ed?" Jet asked Ed looking at her as she smoothed a sheet on the line.

"Oh much of nothing Jet-Jet!" she said staring down the road waiting for Faye to bring her some food.

"Oh." Jet said blinking and then bending over and picking up one of Spike's shirts and then hanging it.

As Jet was abut to hang another shirt Ein's ears perked up and cresting the small rise came Spike Faye. Ed stood up and waved her hand and danced wildly nearly crushing Ein.

Faye looked at Bebop, outwardly she frowned, inwardly she smiled, this was home it wasn't so bad. The motley band of ragtag people that lived with her weren't so bad either. And she had Spike back with them…she immediately felt warm inside. She ended that train of thought. She pulled up next to where Jet was hanging cloths. She leaned the bike slightly to one side and put down the stand, "Where did Ed go?" she looked at Jet. She couldn't se Ed.

Right then Ed popped up balancing on her feet on top of the windshield. Faye was so surprised she jumped back on top of Spike and she nearly knocked them off the bike. For some reason the only thing Faye could think of was that Spike still had is arms around her, and how close Ed's face was.

"Faye-Faye, Faye-Faye have you brought Edward some food??" There was a bark and Spike and Faye turned their heads downward at the same time and there was Ein staring pleadingly up at them They looked at each other and what kind of positions they were in dawned on them. They hurriedly let go of each other and both scrambled off the bike almost tripping on each other in their rush. Ed jumped off the bike and started sniffing for the food. Ein barked as he stood near one saddle bag. Jet chuckled at the whole scene. 

Ed immediately pounced on the saddle bag and tried to rip it off the motorcycle, Faye noticed this and yelled, "Hey! Ed!" she undid the saddle bag and held it eye level by one strap. The bag slowly rotated with Ed's teeth still clamped on to the flap, her feet dangling 5 inches off the ground. Somehow she managed a bright smile at Faye. She tried to say something but she still had her teeth clamped on the flap.

Faye smiled wickedly, "What was that Ed?" 

Ed let go of the flap to repeat what she said, "Faye-Faye, what Ed said was.. Oooo!" she wined when she realized that her food was walking away from her. Faye had slung the bag over one shoulder and was making her way into the Bebop. Ed trotted after on all fours followed by Ein.

Jet looked at Spike who was watching Faye try to shake Ed off her leg and get through the door at the same time. Spike pulled out a cigarette and lit it. 

"So what was that all about?" he asked Spike.

"What was what about Jet?" Spike replied exhaling.

"Ok. Fine." Jet said to Spike as he made his was into the hanger after Faye because he was hungry after all that shopping. He had watched her buy all that food and was now going to go eat some. Those egg rolls were sounding pretty good. He turned around and yelled at Jet, "Hey! Jet! What's this bounty?" 

Jet turned from the close line and yelled back, "I'll tell ya when I'm done!"

Spike walked into the lounge and saw Ed hanging upside-down form the table in the center of the room eating crackers. She held one out to Ein, he sniffed it and then took it gingerly from Ed's fingers and chewed it daintily. 

He leaned over Ed and looked down at her crumb dusted face and said, "Hey, Ed pull up the information on the bounty you found." he decided that he wasn't willing to wait for Jet.

"Righto!" she said sitting up and wiping the crumbs from her face. She typed rapidly and a file appeared on the screen. A this moment Faye walked in munching on a tuna fish sandwich and leaned over Spike to get a good look at the bounty.

Name: Shain Ursula

Age: 26

Height: 5"9'

Weight: 153 kg.

Hair: Light Brown

Eyes: Dark Brown

Worth Alive: 612,400 woolongs

Wanted For: 2 counts of mass destruction and murder, 3 counts of rape and 10 counts of petty theft, and possession of lethal weapons.

By: Ganymede Division of ISSP

The first thought that struck her was that this guy looked really _good. _It must have been the eyes. They were very dark brown like a brownie, almost to the point that they looked kind of black. And his hair… well his hair…um anyways… She might not like most men and definitely didn't trust them, but that doesn't mean that she still couldn't think that some, are, for lack of better description hot.

"Damn." she said. Spike swiveled his head around to see her eyes glued to the screen.

He didn't see the big deal with this guy. "Faye we've been after a lot of guys who were way worse than this, you know." he stated.

"No. Not that." she said quietly eyes still glued to the screen, and whistled.

_What?_ He suddenly felt this nagging feeling in the back of his head and it annoyed him that she liked this guy. Or at leased thought that he was cute or whatever she thought. "well we still gotta go get him." he said stubbornly.

"Why?" I mean we already have enough food for a week." she said standing up and crossing her arms and looking at him with one eyebrow tilted.

"Because you're going to spend all your money god knows when , probably tomorrow. And no one has any money except for you and Ed and God knows where ed put hers. Plus repairs for my ship and this hunk of junk." She didn't see the any real need to go after this guy.

She huffed, he had a point. "Fine. I suppose that you'll need my help on this one." she said loftily, as she walked away and put her hands behind her head. She plopped down on the chair and resumed eating her sandwich, "When are we going?"

He growled, "I'm going when I'm ready." 

She stood up, "Sorry, Lunkhead you know that you can't handle this guy by yourself!" she said brightly as she waggled a finger in font of his nose.

He swatted at her hand and turned away, "Fine."

"Where was 'Shain' last seen?"

"Chain 13." he said hands behind his head. "Yesterday."

"Your ship can still fly can't it?"

"Yeah, just needs a tune up."

"Ok, see ya in a few." she headed off up the stairs still munching on her sandwich to get ready.

Through Spike and Faye's conversation, Ed had been typing away on her computer goggles over her eyes, and every once and a while singing softly about Gloria.

NFA: Ok Shain was seen on Chain thirteen. Um, the way I have this set up in my head is that Ganymede is an all water satellite and has large manmade islands/or archipelagos/ or islands and archipelagos that are connected together. Each thing forms a Chain. For unknown reasons not all of the chains are inter connected, but anyways the place/section/district where Shain was last seen was Chain 13. I don't think that that's how the creators have it but that's how I made it work. PLEASE REVIEW!

I hoped that everyone enjoyed this chapter, I tried to do some Ed stuff. I hope that you liked it.

Thank you **Strife21** and **Kyra **for their reviews, without which certain quotes in this chapter would not be possible. And to **Hally**! (go Hally!) Who helped out as well! ^_^ and **Amber**. Thank you!

See you guys soon! 

The next chapter will have Action! Suspense! Yay! So that should be good. See ya there! PLEASE REVIEW!


	14. The Tingle pt 1

Ok, me and my backwards lobster baseball hat have been sitting for many hours over the last few days, brain cramping as we tried to figure this out I hope you like it…(the hat is from my families reunion that I missed because I moved to Georgia and now I miss it because I start school in August, while in Maine where the reunion is no one starts school until September. Last year everyone got mugs that said OFR on them and this year it was baseball hats (that have lobsters and OFR). So I wear mine, and I just happen to wear it backwards. Not only dose it feel cool, but the visor doesn't get in the way…) Ok that's the explanation for the hat…I haven't found anymore spare change…just a tack..

COUSTOMER APPERECIATION!! ITS PARTY TIME!!

I am throwing a 50 reviews party! My jaw hit the floor when I saw that. Oh, and its also a party for sushigirl07,, she past the 30 reviews mark! Yay, For us! *throws confetti and gives out presents to everyone, and plays music* To tell the truth I never thought that I would still be here! But hey look here I am. So here is a party for everyone who reviewed and encouraged me! (its imaginary but still) ^_^

Thank you to **Strife21**, hehe, spare change…I just found a penny. **Kyra**, I was so happy to be told that I got better! Had to give you a big hug! **Sushigirl07** last chapter wouldn't be as good without ya! As much as I wanna say that I was the genius behind the bounty, I had lots of help from you^_~ And I got my first reviews from **BB** and **WingGoddess, **thank you so much! I love it when new people review. Cowgirl13 who donated a drummer boy quarter to the Search for Spare Change and it was nice to meet you!

Busting my brain to figure this out, here goes…

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop. *hold up cup with pennies, dimes, and foreign coin*

*Stuff I say/do in asterisks. I try not to do too much of that though.*

Thoughts are in _italics_.

Flashbacks are separated by a line____ _

(Stuff in parentheses are when a character answers his/her self.)

__

"Stuff heard over the earpieces are in italics with quote marks (but only in certain parts you'll know)"

The Tingle pt. 1

Spike and Faye headed to the hanger with guns loaded. Faye had one strapped to her right thigh and one in the her coat pocket. Spike's guns were in his pocket and in the holster under his blue overcoat. *You know that thing that straps across his chest and over his shoulders* 

Faye had on a black leather skirt that was about 6 inches from the top of her knee with a slit up one side. She wore a sky blue ribbed sweater tank top. It was the most conservative thing Spike had ever seen her wear, though it still showed her body very well. She had her hair pulled back with some invisible device and a few short strands hung around and slightly into her face, _It must be a girl thing. I haven't a clue how they do that! Just put their hair up and you can't tell how! (_ahh the many mysteries of a woman_) Yeah…_he stopped and watched her as she patted her thigh, and then check the gun in her matching black coat. 

"What are you all dressed up for?" he asked casually coming up behind her.

"Well, Chain 13 is mostly a night club and higher end restaurants district, so I want to look the part. Unlike someone one…"

"If its night clubs then shouldn't you have stayed dressed in what you normally wear?" he asked mischievously a trademark smirk spreading across his face.

"Ha ha." she said and then her face became serious, "No." she was about to climb in to her ship when Spike asked, "How would you know?"

"There's a casino over there so I've been through that area before."

"Oh…" he rolled his eyes and climbed into his ship. He opened a link to Faye's ship and pulled up a picture of the guy 'Shain' for reference, it showed up on both screens. He minimized the picture to only take up half and put up a link to him self. Faye was staring straight at the screen. "Faye? Faye!"

She blinked and looked at him, "Huh? Yeah?"

He growled, one fist clenching and punched a button and the picture of the bounty disappeared. A slightly indignant look passed over her face, but she quickly hid it, "Faye you have any idea where to start looking?"

"Well, um, he's wanted for mass murder and destruction so maybe we should start at the biggest one…which would be the…The Tingle."

"Tingle?" he asked dubiously.

"The Tingle." she confirmed.

"Ok, to the Tingle it is-" he stopped when Ed's face suddenly appeared upside-down from the top Spike's. A huge grin spread across her face and she said something but Spike couldn't hear it through the glass. He opened the door and leaned out and foreword and said, "What'd you say Ed?"

"Edward said that there are rumors that Ursalad was going to The Tingle tonight." she somehow, as she said this balanced on the front end his ship and wiggled her arms like Jell-O when she said The Tingle. "And look what Ed has for you!" she held out something skin colored and when he reached out to take it from her she leaned forward and shoved it in his ear.

"OW! Ed why you-" he stopped when she suddenly jumped away and repeated the same ceremony with Faye.

"OW Ed! You-" Spike had mumbled something and she stopped when she heard it with sudden clarity. "What was that Spike?" she asked her voice sugary sweet. 

"Um, nothing…" he said as he climbed into his ship. 

"Yeah right."

"Hey thanks Ed, these are gonna come in handy." Spike yelled out the door. "Faye, you were actually right this time, Ed says that he'll be at The Tingle."

"Finally…" she rolled her eyes, "Well are we going?" 

Spike started up his ship and Faye did the same and startled Ed who had been lounging on his windshield. She back at him and swan dived off the ship and flew inside.

Spikes ship took off out of the hanger. Jet was on his last piece of clothing and he had just put the last pin on when Spike flew over head and the rush of air that followed after blew all the cloths of the line, except the one he just hung. Everything floated slowly, as if mocking him, to the ground. His jaw hung open, as he stared after Spike. He raised his fist to shout after at him when Faye's ship flew overhead blowing the last piece off the line. It landed gracefully on top of his bald head. His eyebrow twitched madly. "SPIKE! FAYE!" echoed through out the city startling birds and causing then to fly away.

The skyscrapers, expanses of water and bridges flashed, and glittered under Spike and Faye's ships as they flew over Ganymede to Chain 13. They flew on in silence for about a half an hour, Spike following Faye. 

She was totally ready. She felt even in a good mood, I mean a really good where everything bad and annoying just bounces off, and it was great. She felt almost refreshed for some reason. Today was one of those days when she felt as if she could tackle, or do anything. Today was one of those rare days when she would laugh with Spike instead of getting angry at him. She smiled at the memory of earlier when she had commented about the bounty Spike had seemed a little upset and chuckled…

"What's so funny?" came Spike's voice over the earpiece.

"Nothing, Lunkhead." Faye then veered sharply to the right and began descending on a chain, that despite the barely setting sun was already casting a neon glow the surrounding waters. Spike followed Faye skimming over the tops of many glittering buildings. She abruptly pulled back and dropped into a parking lot below, causing the people on the ground to scatter. Spike circled around once before gliding smoothly down. She stood a few feet from her flyer fiddling with her bracelet and looked up at Spike as he approached.

"So Mr. Varitec are you ready?" she asked.

"Varitec?" 

"Yes," she offered him her arm, "You are Mr. Jason Varitec." after he took he took her arm she began a stately walk out of the lot and to the left. "And I am Manilla Ramirez."

"Why do we have to have stupid names?" he complained.

"So that if anyone asks we all ready have names all lined up. And it decreases our chances of being found out." she explained.

"Ooo, big word!" he said in mock amazement, that infuriating smirk spreading across his face. "I know that but why do they have to be stupid?"

"Those names are not stupid!" she protested.

"Why can't I name myself?"

"Because I named you and, grow up because we're here." his eyes were drawn to where she was looking: A graceful building three stories high surrounded be a lush garden filled with flora and fauna of every kind, all blooming in verdant splendor in the middle of the bustling chain. He now saw why Faye had dressed up. Everyone waiting in the line looked at leased a million woolongs richer than he had expected. 'High end' didn't even begin to describe this place. _There's no way. Not even Faye can pull this off… _he looked down at her as she strode confidently forward and dragged Spike through the line pausing every now and then to excuse herself and casting dazzling looks at the many angry people. She stopped two couples form the front. 

She stood on her tiptoes and he leaned down a little and she whispered in his ear, "Follow my lead." He nodded and ran a hand through his unruly hair. Faye was pretty good, but he doubted that she could weasel their way into this one.

The large bald man guarding the entrance looked down on them from his side of the velvet rope. He looked skeptical and Faye hadn't even said a thing. The man was a head taller than Spike at leased. He was absolutely daunting. He grunted obviously waiting a name or a reason to let them in. Faye didn't seem intimidated in the last by this huge man. Hands behind her back and a shy, but mature smile adorning her face, she gestured for the man to lean closer. She stood on tiptoes and whispered something his ear. She took a breath and continued whispering, his eyes widened slightly and he grunted and nodded and reached to unhook the velvet rope. 

"Would you like me to have someone bring you upstairs?" he asked his deep voice rolling like molasses.

"No, thank you. We know our way there." she responded politely. She turned smiling and grabbed Spike's hand and pulled him alongside her as they walked up to the doors which were both opened for them by two men standing just off to the side. His jaw hung agape slightly as they walked over the threshold. There was a woman standing there waiting to take their coats, but Faye walked right by her and into a darkened corner. She turned to look at him.

"So, n-"he cut her off.

"Hold on what the hell did you say to that guy?"

"You know Rosario Andrini?"

"What dose some actor have to do with this?"

"Mr. Andrini lives on the third floor. This is his club but no one knows that. Not even most of the people who work here." she said quietly.

"Then how did you know?" he asked cocking one eyebrow.

"I used to work this place a while back." she said, "So now where do you want to start?"

"Well finding this guy would be good." 

"Ok." she grabbed his wrist and quite against his will dragged him across the building closer to the dance floor. The place was absolutely stunning. The threshold and the coat room were under a a small over hang that was created by an upper-seating level, there where elegantly set tables with long white tablecloths. Each table had what looked like a low bowl filled with water with little lit candles floating around. Candle and lantern-like lamps hung on chains from the ceiling. There were gargantuan pots at leased up to Spikes waist that held live tress and flowers and fern-like plants placed about the area. Over the dance floor there was some kind of powdery blue canopy suspended from the ceiling. There were points of light that could be made out above the canopy, but the light showed through dimly. The overall of effect was very beautiful. It had little accents that lent themselves to Mexican or middle eastern style. There was a band over to the right side. It seemed as if at leased two of most instruments were in the band. A bass *Whatever you call those really tall stringed things*, all of the brass section, a piano, a synthesizer, the woodwinds, bongos and drums, even a glockenspiel and many different styles of guitars and harps were also included. _They can play anything with all of those instruments. _Faye remembered.

Off to the left were several sets of open French doors that led out into the Garden. Waiters and waitresses moved gracefully about holding trays of hors d'oeuvresand wine or champagne. He doubted that Faye would have been able to work here. She couldn't more like those waitresses and she was never polite enough to do anything else. He stood a few feet behind Faye looking the place over. This place was really classy. 

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a waiter set his tray of champagne down on a nearby, vacant table and approach Faye. He watched the mans movement closely, Spike was about to do something, when the man called out "Diana?" 

Faye turned to look at him, "Johnny?"

"Diana! How's agoin? What brings you back to this heap?" 'Johnny' said coming up to Faye and smiling down on her.

"Fine, nothing much. You still work here?" she said looking up at him

Spike was totally forgotten and he did not like it one bit.

"Yeah. You want to hang out and do some catching up when I go on my break?"

"Love to, but I can't." she smiled sadly, "Here on business."

"Ahhh." he responded knowingly. "Well it was nice seein' you again. You look great."

"As always." she said airily and she tossed her hair. They both laughed as Johnny picked up his tray and waved goodbye and moved off to serve champagne to some people across the room. It was obviously an inside joke. He did not like not being on the inside of that joke. Spike watched Faye watching him walk off. He was _still_ forgotten he had that same nagging feeling in the back of his head, he was annoyed that Faye knew this guy and had forgotten him.

She was facing away from him and he moved up behind her and leaned down and softly said, "Diana?" she jumped slightly.

"Jesus, Spike! Don't sneak around like that!"

"I wasn't sneaking I was walking." he said somewhat grumpily, but Faye didn't notice.

"Well, walk louder next time." she said arms crossed over her chest. "Diana, goddess of the hunt. That was my name when I worked here."

_Goddess? "_And what a bout Johnny?"

"We were friends."

"Obviously…"

"Spike, you don't look like such a happy camper. Maybe we should dance while we look for this guy." she said and pulled him onto the dance floor.

NFA: Hehe…I feel evil! HA! Well how did you like this chapter? I really hope you like it Its the longest one so far and this will only take two chapters so the end of this bounty will be up next weekend! Yay! I had lot of fun writing this. Yup! Hehe, catch ya next week for The Tingle pt. 2 Please review! About the fake names, Varitec and Ramirez are players for the Red Sox. I was doing that part when we had extra time in Algebra and that was all I could think of.

Next week on Life in General, After the Fall:

"Lets dance while we look for this guy." she said an pulled him on to the dance floor.

When she stopped she took his arm and put it around her waist and put one of her hands on his shoulder and took his other hand. "Dancing is excellent cover, we actually look sorta normal." she said smiling mischievously. She pressed herself against him and put her head on his chest so that she could see over his shoulder.

"Ok." he sighed relaxing. They moved slowly with the music *like the two songs by Hassan Bohmide* Wow she smelled good. He wondered if she always smelled that way. All he could seem to concentrate on was how good she smelled and how warm her body was against his. _I have to concentrate on looking for 'Shain'! _he could feel her breathing softly.

NFA: Wow, what a preview, am I good or what? Please review!!!!!


	15. The Tingle pt 2

***Ok, it was the freaking headache that messed this chapter up so much I apologize. This is the newly corrected and added to version, have fun.*** BTW! Go to my profile thingy for some info on me and the songs by Hassan Bohmide that I made reference to! Let me know in a review if you do! You know tell me what you thought.

Hi! I have a headache, but earlier today I went to the World of Coca Cola Museum and Underground Atlanta and that was really cool. I was like 10 minutes form AWA 8 and couldn't go! I was so disappointed. But that's ok. We were showing my Grammy around Atlanta, and ate a really good turkey sandwich. Anyways……

**Jessica Tenou**, Oh! Wow, that was that a long time ago! I'm so happy that you reviewed! Thank you! Thank you **Shadow Raven**! **NesscusGirl**, Hi! Thank you! **Sushigirl07**, don't get me please! I continue to kick ass! YES! Thank you. Hello **Cowgirl13. **Thanks a lot bebop bud! Thanks for telling how to spell bass, **Alonea**. I can never keep it straight. Also thanks for the spelling/grammar alert. Thank you much **Moonwhisper**!^_^ Thanks to **Kyra**, hehe that was incredibly fast. Also for her contribution to the Search for Spare Change, a quarter/game token thingy.

If anyone thinks that I severely batched describing how the first 37 seconds of Autumn on Ganymede goes, or I named the wrong instruments PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I am so frustrated at myself right now…Oi…..I'm trying really hard, just nothing seems to come out right… sorry if this totally bites the big one… 

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

*Stuff I say/do in asterisks. I try not to do too much of that though.*

Thoughts are in _italics_.

Flashbacks are separated by a line____ _

(Stuff in parentheses are when a character answers his/her self.)

__

"Stuff heard over the earpieces are in italics with quote marks (but only in certain parts you'll know)"

The Tingle pt. 2 

"Lets dance while we look for this guy." she said an pulled him on to the dance floor. When she stopped she took his arm and put it around her waist and put one of her hands on his shoulder and took his other hand. "Dancing is excellent cover, we actually blend in." she said smiling mischievously. She pressed herself against him and put her head on his chest so that she could see over his shoulder.

"Ok." he sighed relaxing. They moved slowly with the music *like the two songs by Hassan Bohmide* Wow she smelled good. He wondered if she always smelled that way. All he could seem to concentrate on was how good she smelled and how warm her body was against his. _I have to concentrate on looking for 'Shain'! _and not stepping on Faye. He already knew he couldn't dance. 

Julia and he had tried it once. The memory made him frown and suddenly everything felt hopeless, pointless. Like he felt that first night when Julia's death hit him. Suddenly he didn't want to be here anymore, didn't want to get this bounty just wanted go lay down somewhere and never move again. Faye looked up at his face he wasn't looking at her, but she saw in his eyes, it was like when someone did white eyes. They looked dead. Or like a zombie. What made it even worse was you could still see Spike's eyes, but it still gave her that same feeling. She shivered. Dead, but still so filled with pain. It reminded her again that Spike was not totally the same as before, he had changed. She knew what he had just been thinking about. Suddenly she felt very alone.

"Do you see him?" she asked nervously. She wanted to do something to take his mind off that.

The music continued to play and the man continued to sing. He looked down at her and a shudder passed through her body, "No." he said. "Are you cold?" and in his voice. It was monotone and chilling, like he didn't care, or nothing mattered anymore.

"No, umm, lets dance over there, I can't see that side properly." she said forcing a smile.

__

"Are you Sure you sure that you can't see?" her sudden question had knocked him out of his thoughts. He was suddenly concerned for their cover. He was just fine in one spot, but if you asked him to move then there would be trouble. 

She gave him the 'I wouldn't say that if I could see you dumb Lunkhead' look. "Come on." they started to dance their way slowly across the floor and things were going quite smoothly until he stepped on Faye's foot. She barely stifled a string of curses, and settled for, "Gods, Lunkhead watch where you step!"

He smirked. The man was getting off stage and a new song was beginning, a bass began and then was joined, by bongos, cymbals, and trumpets. The pace on the dance floor picked up a bit. She kept on moving across, and then Spike tripped over his feet nearly taking them both down. They we starting to attract looks from the other dancers. Faye smiled and flapped a hand apologetically at them and dragged Spike of the floor. They came to stand under the fronds of one of the tall, ferny plants in one of the huge pots.

She crossed her arms over her chest and said with an amused look on her face, "Spike what was that? What were you trying to do? Is it that you really can't dance?" as she continued he idly noticed, _hey her eyes are the same color as that plant…_ "Geeze, I mean you are so coordinated, what with Juicy Keen Do thingy, but you can't dance!" she began to laugh.

"Hey! Its Jeet Kune Do! Not Juicy-whatever-you-said!" he said indignantly, "And so I bet you couldn't do this!" he stood back and punched, but it was a feint and his leg flew up to stop centimeters from Faye's nose, her hair moved slightly from the whoosh of air that came with his foot. He was obviously trying to protect his dignity. _What the hell is up with him? It must be the trees…_

She cocked an eyebrow at his foot, still positioned right in front of her nose. She then looked up from his shoe to his face and gave him her 'Oh give me a break' look, "Ooo!" she threw her hands up and pushed on his foot, "Spike can punch and kick!" _He can be such a child sometimes… _she snorted, "You know that any REAL man can dance." She began laughing again. "I mean you fly through the air with the greatest of ease, but you can't dance a across a room!"

He slouched and put his hands in his pockets, looking quite put out by her comment. "Well…You-um…" he really wanted to come up with some smart ass comment about something she was really bad at, but couldn't summon anything up right at the moment.

He then noticed that she wasn't even looking at him anymore she was staring over his shoulder. He waved a hand in her face and turned around to see what she was looking at, he should have known: There he was Mr. Shain in all his glory looking better than his picture in a black suit. He frowned he didn't see why she was so mesmerized by the guy. _I mean he's not all that handsome…(yeah I'm way better looking than he is!) Yeah! _He had that feeling in the back of his head and started feeling grumpy. He reached out a hand and waved it in her face.

__

Ohh, there he is…he looks even better in a suit…Gah, well better go get him…I know I'll just pull the usual act and if that doesn't work then we'll go all out… She noticed Spike's hand waving in front of her face she swatted angrily at it and he smirked.

"So who are you drooling over?" he asked icily.

"No one." she said before breezing by him and whispering, "Back me up." and tapping the earpiece. She moved off and sat down next to Shain who was alone at a table drinking a glass of champagne. _"Hello." "Why, hello. What is your name miss?" "Manilla Ramirez…"_

Spike sat down at a vacant table and listened idly to Faye carry on the small talk. After ten minutes of pretending to be interested in the décor…He flagged Johnny down and took a glass of champagne from his tray. "Hay, dose that guy come here often?"

"Yeah, I've seen him around here a few times before. Why?" asked Johnny.

"No reason, he just looks familiar." Spike shrugged and leaned his chin on his hand.

His champagne had long since disappeared and his napkin was all wrinkly. There was a song with a saxophone and synthesizers going on now, it was slow and melancholy sounding. Faye was pulling the normal act, seducing the guy and so on and so forth. It was working. Shain was practically ogling at her. If he hadn't had a brain his jaw would have been hanging open. He slid one arm around her waist and leaned over and whispered, _"How about we take a stroll through the Garden, hmm? You know _relax_ a little, just get out of here for a bit?_" "_Lets_." it was amazing how she could make that one word so suggestive and sexual. He was suddenly angry at Shain, one for putting the moves on Faye, and two at Faye for not putting up the leased bit of a fight. _Its' an act! _he scolded himself.

Shain wrapped his arm around Faye's waist and started to lead her outside, but before he could slide out of the French doors Faye stopped and asked if she could go to the ladies room for just a second. He said that of course she might and that he'd be waiting right there for her. Faye walked towards the restrooms and when Shain couldn't she her she ducked and stood in a shadowy corner; she made eye contact with Spike across the room and Spike heard, "Ok we're going out-"

"I know that." he cut her off. He was very annoyed.

She flashed him an annoyed look, "Follow me ok? Stay be hind and I'll call you if anything happens."

"Sure you can handle it?" he challenged.

She rolled her eyes, "Just follow me, ok?"

He rolled his eyes back at her, succeeding at making her more pissed off, and said, "Fine."

She turned sharply out of the corner and made her way back to Shain. When she got there he slid an arm back around Faye's waist and ushered her out the French doors and into the Garden. Spike was about ten feet behind, trailing them and listening to what they were saying. Shain leaned over and was whispering something in her other ear, so the earpiece couldn't catch it, and holding her closer to himself. It was driving Spike crazy.

The Garden didn't really look like a garden. It looked a little like a forest. Tall firs, weeping willows, seemingly ancient elm and oaks, palmettos, and taller palm trees seemed to grow randomly with roses and ivy creeping up the wall that separated this place form the rest of the world. Flowers of every imaginable variety must have made there roots here as well. Upon closer inspection one could see how the landscaping had been planned out, to look natural. There were benches and swings and chairs placed throughout as well. There were no definite paths either, one could wander anywhere through the Garden unhindered.

Shain led Faye over to a bench and they sat down. They chatted briefly about small things and then Shain leaned over and pressed his lips to Faye's. _Ok, here goes, I gotta concentrate…_ one of Shain's hands reached up and stroked her face. _I hope Spike's around. I wonder if Shain's just out for a good time? Or if he's here to blow it up? I hope not… _Shain deepened the kiss and her head started to swim. _Concentrate! _Her hand slowly started to make it's way towards her coat pocket where her hand cuffs were.

__

"Mmm…" he couldn't see them, but he knew basically where they were at. He had been standing there listening to Faye make out with this guy. Becoming angrier and angrier. He just wanted Faye to cuff him and then they could get it over with. He then heard someone, probably Shain, whisper something heatedly before continuing to do whatever they were doing. _"Oh…"_

That was the fucking last straw. He turned from his spot striding away quickly. _Faye seems to have this whole situation under control!_ He had become irrationally angry at Faye again. He couldn't believe that she was sitting there making out with this guy. _She probably doesn't even mean to turn him in! It would be just like her to pull a stunt like this! _He was angry and hurt. And he was leaving. _"Uh!…"_ every little thing he heard just drove him further, and he was nearly running now. His mouth was set across his face in an angry line. Irate would be the word. His mind was a roiling sea of anger and for some reason hurt. It was like he thought that she was betraying him somehow…but that was a stupid idea. There was nothing to betray…_"Oof…"_

He had just reached the French doors when Faye's panicked voice ripped shrilly through the ear piece, "SPIKE! Where the hell are you!" his stomach turned cold and he found himself running back towards her as fast as he had run from her. Suddenly he felt guilty, _I was supposed to back her up! Fuck! And I wasn't there…_

_Where is he! _She thought as she yelled for him. She tried to scream again, but was cut off as Shain pinned her to a tree, his fingers curling around her neck making it almost impossible to breath. She tried to slip her hands out of the cuffs, but her hands were at odd angles pushed against the rough bark of the tree.

It had happened so fast. She had the cuffs out of her pocket and almost had him when suddenly he grabbed her hands. "Uh!" she had thought for sure that Spike would have come then, but Shain had pulled some maneuver and thrown her over his head. She remembered the odd sound that she had made as she air was slammed out of her body as she landed flat one her back. Shain had been saying something, mostly swears and what else she couldn't remember. He was on her then and grabbed her hands and cuffed her. As he lifted her up she had screamed for Spike then. She was ashamed that she had been so easily overpowered. Ashamed of how she sounded as she had screamed for his help.

Suddenly she had wondered what had led her to trust him in the first place. She couldn't breath and Shain was most likely going to kill her. She gasped for breath. She was getting light headed and it was like she could feel herself going down the drain… Then the sound branches and bushes being crushed permeated her senses as someone came storming through. 

There was click and a rush of air into her oxygen deprived body, "Shain, let her go." someone said venomously. Spike. Now that her brain could function properly, she felt a gun being pressed to her head and heard Shain say, "Any closer and she goes."

Spike still held the gun at arms length his eyes cold and hard. She was suddenly very angry and wanted to yell at Spike about where the hell he had been, and how he could run off and almost let her get killed. But relieved as well. They made eye contact. She smirked at him and lifted her foot and crushed Shain's foot as hard she could with the heel of her shoe. He let go of her gasping "Bitch!"

She now slipped her hands out of the cuffs and undid them. Spike lunged at him and his foot flew up catching Shain's chin. He stumbled back and Spike caught his collar and drew his fist back to punch him, Faye came up behind him and pulled out her gun and hit Shain as hard as she could with the butt of her gun. Spike held him up as Faye handcuffed him. Spike hauled him up over one shoulder and turned to speak to Faye, but she was making her way through the Garden to the wall. He followed silently watching her back as she walked.

He sighed. _Well, at leased we got the bounty…_

NFA: Oh I hope this didn't suck…Oi, nothing seemed to work right. Oi, I hope you liked it and please review and say 'hi' or something. I have a headache……. This is the end of The Tingle, and right on time too, amazing… I worked real hard and I hope there aren't to many errors. The last chapter will be reposted with all the errors fixed tonight or tomorrow.…. Ok next chapter…lots of thinking and S/F confrontation sorta……

Next time:

"Thoes weren't the sounds of anybody getting any Spike! They were the sounds of me being thrown over his head! Where the hell were you!" _I trusted you._

He looked away. _I guess he doesn't have anything to say. _she thought. He made her so angry! She turned her back on him and stormed off down the hall.


	16. Whats it to Ya?

Hi! Its driving me nuts I can't write anything anymore! For the very first time I have writers block. I will just force myself to do something about it! Oi. I really want to, but don't worry things are starting to pick up and the next chapter will be out ASAP. Nothing like Bob Rivers twisted Christmas to get you going…Might be getting there by this afternoon if I can get online, and post this and see who reviewed. Yeah whenever I am having a hard time writing, doing the thank you portion usually gets me going so…yeah. See you soon. Um please review and say something about the last chapter or hi or come and talk to me or something. Would be MUCHLY appreciated. As always :P Oh and go see the edited versions of chapters 14 and 15!

Once this next chapter is out everything will be back to normal, Ok? I promise. 

See you soon, 

Blooknaburg

Whats it to Ya? Chorus belongs to Bob Rivers bleh


	17. Searching For Gloria G

**This is the corrected version! I apologize for the 6 pages of nothing at the end I don't know how to make it go away** 

Hi! Oh thank you! Well as usual there are the thank yous to the people who reviewed my last chapter!

**Strife21** thank you! A good ranting to come! Hehe^_~ Blook: Thanks **Cowgirl13**! Your too cool (that's was so funny!!:P) **Kyra**! I'm your hero? ? Hehe Thanks so much! Thank you **Sushigirl07**! Hehe, I'll tell ya later where the sent your boy. They have some job openings at the jail, I believe…:D lol. Thank you all!

Disclamer:I do not own Cowby Bebop.

Thoughts are in italics

Flashbacks are indicated by a line____ _

(Stuff in parenthases are when a character awnsers his/herself)

Searching For Gloria G.

_Why didn't he come? What took him so long? Why do I bother? What made me trust him? I'm angry at him. (he saved you eventually, though). Eventually see? What did he think was going on?? That I was kidding? Or messing around? Oh my God does he think that…..? _She was going crazy, trying to figure it out. She didn't know why, but the situation was driving her nuts. She flopped back on her bed and huffed angrilly. 

Spike sat in his room trying to smoke calmly. He laid back on his bed and blew smoke out between his lips and watched it float slowly around the room. He wasn't thinking about anything in particular, of trying to. He absently wondered what it would be like to be smoke. Or air. Or a bed, or a shoe, or a tie. _Probably pretty boring…_he thought enviously. They didn't have to worry, probably didn't period, about feelings or people, or ideals, or anything at all. He sighed. _What in the hell am I supposed to say to Faye? (Hey that rhymed!) Maybe I won't have to say anything at all. (maybe you better start thinking up a speech right about now) Why do I care..? _he dozed off, cigarette burning in the ash tray.

When they had walked in through the hatch Jet stood up from his spot behind his computer and had given them quite a ranting. Spike shrugged it off and Faye seemed pretty ticked about something and tried to ignore him. And to punctuate the end of his speech he walked up the stars and pulled the credit card right out from Spike's unsuspecting fingers. He then walked off mumbling about how much trouble they were. He did not find it amusing-as Spike obviously did- that he had had to rewash and dry ALL the laundry. 

Ed was sitting in front of Tomato goggles on her head in the tunnel just off the kitchen Ein sleeping on his side next to her. *you know the place they were hanging out when Ed got the mail during Perriot le Fou* She yawned widly. Since Spike and Faye had left she had been performing numerous seaches, automaitc and manuel, to try and find anything about Gloria. She remembered when she had told Father- person and MacApple that she was going to go off and look for Gloria.

________________________________________ _ 

Over the couple short months that she had stayed with them they had becomce quite a team and Father-person was quite proud of her. They had also had a discussion about Gloria. Ed understood fully why she had left and it was not because of her. Ed, when she thought logically could understand Gloria's reasons for leaving. Ed had commented that someday she would like to see Gloria again. Father-person had asked why she didn't call Gloria 'mother'. And Ed had commented as she stared up at the stars and what was left of the moon that Gloria was her name. Father-person had nodded understandingly. At first Ed had thought that staying with Father-person and looking for Gloria would work out just fine, but they were on the move all the time and so busy that she never really got to look very well. So one day she announced to Father-person and MacApple that she was leaving to search for Gloria, and that she might join back up with Bebop because she missed them as well. At that moment meteor hit not far away and the two men turned in that direction. 

MacApple had jumped up into the yellow vehichle and started it up. Father person turned to her and said leaning down and putting both his hands on her shoulders, "Françoise be very careful, you know that we will be on Earth and you know the frequency to use to contact us if you need to." He hugged her quickly and jumped into the vehicle with MacApple. He waved back at her as they drove off across Earth's ravaged surface. 

She yelled, "BYEbye Father-Person! MacApple!" She called waving back. She felt light knowing that she would see Father-person and MacApple again, and that she would find the bebop and they would be together, and that she might find Gloria. "Come on Ein! Bobop ho!" she yelled to the little dog. He barked tongue hanging out slightly and they trotted back twords the city that they had just left that morning.

________________________________________ _

Searching for Gloria had been harder than she thought that it would have been. She did not know Gloria's last name and Gloria probably looked different than what she remembered. She had searched many archives full of watercolor painters and paintings, but Ed only could remember one. She had searched through many Glorias and many Glorias that were artists, but so far nothing viable yet. She sighed. 

"Ein…" she poked him and his ears pricked up. "Ein you want some cereal with Ed? Or doggie food?" He barked and stood up and sretched. "Yay!" she skipped until she heard Jet yelling at Spike and Faye and she froze mid skip and smiled down on Ein and they snuck by and into the kitchen.

She had no doubts that she would find Gloria sometime. No one Escaped Radical Edwards searching eyes.

NFA: Ok short I know. And dogs _do_ stretch after they get up. I see my dog do it all the time. They do this little thing its wicked cute. Yeah this was an Ed chapter mostly wanted to post something to show you I was FINALLY over the writers block. I am working on more as you read this probably. Well the last preview I gave you goes for the next chapter, which if all goes well since I am back on track should be about half way done befor eI have to go to bed. Thank you to the people who reviewed my authors thingy

Thank you, **Kyra**! Noo! If you broke your hand you wouldn't be able to write and I would cry. Thank you **RySenkari**. When I saw your review I went: *blink blink* OMG! RySenkari reviewd my story!! YES! I nearly fell out of my chair. Thank you **NessacusGirl**. Wow, that's a lot of siblings. I'm sorry that I forgot to put my name in my last review, and that I spelled your name wrong in the last chapter, I'm so sorry. I'll go bye later and review again with some ideas or something cool.^_~ Thaks **Sushigirl07**, the wrecking ball really helped! Don't forget to show up brght and early at the jail for duty! (your boys on the third floor) Thank you **Milky Way**! Mmm, milky way's are yummy…Oh and you owe me!: P Thank you also for Milky Way's donation to The Search for Spare Change! A 2002 quarter! 

All of you guys are the coolest!!!!!! Also to my Bebop bud and Homie H!! LOL ^_^


	18. Thunder Rolls

*Cue news music*

We now come to you LIVE from the kitchen counter…wait 'we'?  It's just me so…I now come to you LIVE from the kitchen counter.

**Go look at the reviews page, please. I wrote something there**

Ok, hi.  The computer is dead.  The hard drive failed, and there was an error in the primary master…*sigh* what a pain.  Everything went bye bye.  So, yeah.  I would have saved on a disk if we had one, but from now on I WILL have one so that this cannot happen.  Yeah, I'm on my Dad's laptop now.  Glad you guys liked the last chapter, even though it was short and the 6 pages of nothing were quite deceiving.

Thank you **Milky Way**! hehe, glad I made your day.^_^ Thank you **RySenkari**, oh naughty you! Tisk, tisk.  Yeah, I thought that it would be cool if I called him MacApple. Computer, apples, MacIntyer…hehe.  Thank you, **Spike Spiegel** and **Cowgirl13**, don't worry I'll send you The Book and some veggie balls : )  *dances* Thank you **Kyra**! You know I never could get the hang of those paddleball thingys…they always came back and hit me.  (I watched Star Trek!^_~ lol) **Srife21**, Hi! Thank you, and your ranting, as promised. And thank you for your donations to The Search For Spare Change, two quarters and a 1986 penny.  Thank you **Dori Scully** for all of your wonderful reviews!*melts* I'm so glad you liked the song fic. And the 2 reviews that I have from you on this story, I'm glad you liked it.^_^  Oh, go see your songfic I left another review thing.

Okie Dokie neighborienos. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

Thoughts are in _italics_

(Stuff in parenthases are when a character answers his/herself)

Flashbacks are indicated by a line____ _

Thunder Rolls

            Ed typed on her computer, Ein yawned, Jet snipped patiently, Spike smoked and Faye earnestly stroked Ger's back as she lay in bed.  The ship and its inner workings continued to go on as always, as it sat in a docking bay on Ganymede. Jet had announced earlier that he would be cooking dinner soon and tomorrow they would be leaving Ganymede.  Across the ship, simultaneously, Ed clicked, Jet snipped, Ein sniffed, Spike smashed his cigarette, and Faye huffed loudly to herself.

Yup.

Pretty normal. Except for Spike and Faye.  There was something up between them and he was absolutely stumped as to what it could be.  Faye was mad at Spike.  That wasn't unusual.  But it was what she was mad about and the way Spike was reacting…or not reacting.  If things were normal Spike would be stretched out on the couch and Faye would be flopped somewhere reading or annoying Spike.  If things were normal.  He hoped they figured it out.  It was making him uncomfortable.  AND it wasn't even his problem.  Maybe they weren't eating right…

Fifteen minutes later…

"Spike! Faye, Ed! Dinner!" Jet yelled from the kitchen.

"Jeeze, you don't have to yell I'm right here." Spike spoke up sourly.  Well Spike hadn't been there before, but apparently he was now. Wow, deja vu. And he seemed to be in one hell of a mood.  "So what's for dinner?" he said sitting up and turning his head to look up at Jet who was wearing his pink apron again, "Bell Peppers lacking beef?"

"No." Jet said smugly walking back towards the stove.

At this Spike hopped enthusiastically from the couch and as he reached the kitchen, Jet turned from the stove holding the frying pan and spatula said, "Bell peppers and shitake mushrooms and beef." He smiled, at this Spike immediately deflated, unimpressed by the new addition.

"Do I even want to know what you cooked this time Jet?" said Faye as she walked in.

"No." Spike said.

She glared at him and took the plate Jet handed her.  She pulled a pair of chopsticks from somewhere and began eating.  Spike shook his head.  She leaned on the railing. At that moment Ed bounded in Ein trailing behind, tongue lolling. Jet handed her a plate and she began scarfing it down not even bothering to use chopsticks.  Briefly Jet watched her and wondered if she even tasted it, it went down so fast. He held a plate out to Spike who regarded it is if it was a pain in his ass that was being particularly annoying at that moment, and reluctantly took it. He began eating with his usual enthusiasm, despite what he had said.  Jet then got a can of dog food out of the refrigerator and put it in Ein's bowl

Faye watched Spike eat.  He wouldn't look at her.

Before long Jet was done and said that he was going to go out and check on the Hammerhead.  _What a lame excuse…_

Spike slurped a piece of pepper as he watched Jet go out into the hanger.  His eyes met Faye's for the first time since the Garden.  _Aw, Shit…_it wasn't that he didn't want to get this done and over with, though he would preferably avoid the whole situation, but Faye wouldn't leave this alone. He couldn't figure out why.  

Neither could she.  She was totally stumped as to how they had almost fucked up that bad.  It wasn't only the fact that she had been nearly killed, but mostly as to why he didn't come.  When they worked together the followed each others instructions to a certain point as long as they thought that they would get the bounty.  And they were both no nonsense people.  Go, get it done, and get the money, pretty much was the policy.  So where had he been? Was it simply that he thought that she could handle it?  But that couldn't be it because Spike never thought that she could do anything on her own.  

"So." She casually turned her head to look at him.

"So." He said looking away.

God, he was making this so difficult.  So she went for the 'not that I'm interested but I'd like to know' approach.

"Not that I care or anything, but where were you?" Oh, god how lame could she get?  That was SO obvious.

He wanted to just pretend that he was stupid and didn't have a clue what she meant, and it would be very satisfying to see her all pissed off, but things wouldn't be normal until it was done.  "In the Garden, listening to you two make out." Was his smart-ass reply.

"Why didn't you come?  Were you like zoning out?" she asked crossing her arms over her chest.

Truth was he didn't want to talk about that at all.  He was quite embarrassed for feeling that way, and pretended that he hadn't.  He didn't feel like explaining himself to Faye.  He shouldn't have to.  Hey, at leased he came and rescued her in the end.  He could have just left her to the bounty.

"Why dose it matter?" he said sharply, "I thought that you could handle it.  I mean you were getting along so nicely." 

So that's what this was about?  Since when…?  Suddenly she flared up at him, "That's what you think?  Those weren't the sounds of anybody getting any Spike!  Those were the sounds of me being thrown over his head!  Where the hell were you?" 

He looked away.  _I guess that he doesn't have anything to say_. She thought.  He made her so angry!  She turned her back on him and stormed off down the stairs and down the hall that lead towards the control room.

He knew now what had been going on.  And he felt guilty.  One because she had gotten hurt, because he was too blinded by emotions that he wasn't supposed to be feeling.  And two because he _was_ feeling.  Julia was gone.  There was no more purpose.  He was supposed to be dead.  He was not supposed to feel, anything.  He was not supposed to be able to.  He had been so good at not feeling for the short while he spent roaming the world after getting out of the hospital.  After the night in the hotel, well everyone thought he was dead but apparently he was not.  So he could do whatever.  And Bebop…well if they found him or he found them then that was ok.  He would work from there; he wasn't going to seek anything out anymore.  He was done making plans.

The last ones had been screwed all to hell.  

But that was relevant.  He had kind of known that it would end up that way; he just never admitted it to himself. And then here he was.  Back to the way things had been before, in a sense. He constantly contradicted himself.

He decided to do her a favor and fix this up for her.  He walked to the control room where she would most likely be.  He walked quietly to the entrance to the room and saw he was right.  

She was leaned back against one of the huge glass windows smoking, and 'Ger' sat in the pilots seat.  She stood straight and paced a few feet back and forth in front of the window.  She abruptly stopped and resumed her former post; she crossed her arms over her chest and huffed.  She pulled the cigarette from between her lips and blew the smoke out of one corner of her mouth, in an exasperated way.  She faced away from him, and looked out the window at the glittering cityscape of Ganymede. The light from the streets and buildings winked in the surrounding water and boats moved slowly thought the water. He walked up behind her and cleared his throat.  She jumped and turned around.

Now it was she who wouldn't look at him, "Yes?"

He cleared his throat again, "Well, we all have moments," he started, "when we screw up.  Goodness knows that you have them all the time." He said with a smirk, one hand touching his chin as he explained.  She chose to ignore that comment and he continued, "And so I had a moment." He finished shortly dropping his hand from his chin.

Her eyes flicked to his face examining him. A horn sounded somewhere on the ocean faintly coming through the glass as she looked at him.  A tiny smile worked its way across her face.  He slouched against the glass and looked down at the top of her head.  They stayed that way for a few minutes.  Just standing.

Spike pulled out a cigarette and lit it off Faye's.  He smiled.

"So was he a good kisser?" he asked nonchalantly.

She punched him in the shoulder, "Nope, nothing special." She flashed a smile his way as she swayed over to the pilots seat, picked up Ger and put him on her shoulder and walked out.

Well that had been easier than he expected.

NFA: Hi! Had a hard time getting this going, but Yay! Yes I was listening to country when I started this chapter.  Thunder Rolls, I think, is the title of the song song.  But I forget which dude dose it. There are so many. That's a good song.  If anyone knows please tell me. 

I feel so much better now that more of Spike is explained.  Don't you?  Well, how did you like this chapter? I liked it I hope you did.  Don't forget to review. Oh and I'm having a hard time figuring out what to do with the next chapter.  Well, more like how to get where this is going…I also want to know what you think I should do about Gloria.  I have my own plan, but if anyone says anything interesting…so just tell me what you think about the whole Gloria thing, and why Ed came back to Bebop and so on.  And anything else you feel compelled to tell me about.  PLEASE REVIEW!  Byebye!

It is now one fifty-three A.M.  I have been waiting all day to post this…and I have just had an inkling.^_~  Well, I will see you all tomorrow…um…later today then.  And I watched the last ep. of CB.  Sometimes I forget their voices, but ANYWAYS it was just about the shortest 22 minutes(or whatever it was) of my life.  Even my little brother agreed.  *sigh*  well I'm done now good night.


	19. Beautiful Dreamer

Live from headquarters! Yay! The comp is back!

Okie day, how is everyone? Ug, we had Pre-SAT's this week and for the record Robitussin is SO disgusting. :P

Thank you **RySenkari**, you lucky duck!*hugs*Guess what? Oh no wait I already asked you that… **Alonea**, thank you for your reviews! I sorry you're sick, I'm sick too. Lets start a club. My dog is a Shar Pei (one of those really wrinkly dogs) and her name is Lacy.^_^ Thanks for all of the great Gloria scenarios! **Kyra** lol, thank you! Gimme a K! I didn't know that a flashlight and sad music could give you a sugar rush…I don't know what you think. Why is Gloria a thief?? Can no one in CB go uncorrupted?? Just kidding all of the scenarios were very funny. Especially the gerbil one. Thanks for your reviews **Cowgirl13**! I can't believe that you don't get Columbus Day off, I sorry. I'm bored because I can't cook for you. Garth Brooks is wicked cool. My best friend's Dad works as a personality on a country radio station in NH. Hehe.. Spikeford?!?! The second?? LOL!…how dose Chinese food sound?? Thank you **Strife21**!! I'm glad you liked the end.^_^ I was like _I think its Garth Brooks, but what if its not_? So thank you! Thank you **Laryness**! O.o really? Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

Thoughts are in _italics_

Flashbacks are indicated by a line____ _

(Stuff in parenthases are when a character answers his/herself)

Beautiful Dreamer 

In which Ed makes a devious plan,

And Bebop finally hauls its butt off Ganymede.

Well, the crew had finally gotten off Ganymede. They were now en route to Jupiter, where Jet was going to have the Bebop over hauled. Nobody had any clue what Ed was up to. She was even more so glued to her computer than usual. One useful thing had come from all of her time on the net though. She had found a place, SUPER cheap that would overhaul all of the Bebop's systems. Jet was going against his better judgment when he took Ed's recommendation, but she had assured him it was reliable. The Bebop was in dire need of some attention and Mars wasn't _so_ far off.

Ed was off somewhere and Ein was sleeping at the end of the couch as Spike laid on it and listened to another of Faye's ancient songs.

There you stand in your dungarees

Looking all grown up and so veribly

When you write your poems they have so much to say

When you speak your dreams it takes my breath away

__

What the hell are dungarees? He wondered absently.

You know I wanna be a ball player

A regular slugin' fool

But I guess our dreams must wait a while

Until we finish school

And so you and I 

We watched our years go by

We watched our sweet dreams fly

Faraway, away

But maybe someday 

I don't know when 

But we will dream again

And we'll be happy then 

Until our time just drifts away

She was in her room. _I guess that she has her days, like me._ Spike thought as the song echoed throughout the Bebop. 

There you stand in your wedding dress

You're so beautiful that I must confess

I'm so proud you have chosen me

When a doctor is what you wanna be

You know I wanna be a painter girl

A real artistic snob

But I guess we'll have our children first

You find a home I'll get a job

The song was sung by a man, and there was a perky piano part, which was kind of odd considering the tone of the song. It must have been to show how ironic life is sometimes or something.

And so you and I 

We watched our years go by

We watched our sweet dreams fly

Faraway, away

But maybe someday 

I don't know when 

But we will dream again

And we'll be happy then 

Until our time just drifts away

Listen to the seasons passing

Listen to the wind blow

Listen to the children laughing

Where do broken dreams go?

There you stand in your tailored suit

So many years gone by, but you're still so cute

You take the car to go and meet the bus

When our grand children come to visit us

And you say you should a been a ballerina babe

There are songs I should have sung

But I guess our dreams have come and gone 

You're supposed to dream when you are young

And so you and I 

We watched our years go by

We watched our sweet dreams fly

Faraway, away

But maybe someday 

I don't know when 

But we will dream again

And we'll be happy then 

Until our time just drifts away

Suddenly when he thought of the song and of Faye he was bursting with questions to ask her. Did she dream? She must have. What were her dreams? Dose she miss it? One in particular seemed to stick out in his head. Does she have dreams now? But there was no way he was going to ask them. She always listened to such depressing music.

Suddenly she walked down the stairs and then into the kitchen. He felt the questions tugging pulling on his lips and his tongue begging to be whispered. To know. She came back in eating a sandwich and sat down on the chair across from the couch without even so much as a look in his direction. She sat the sandwich on the table and picked up a magazine and began reading it. 

The whole time. The whole time he couldn't stop looking at her. The questions wouldn't stop bouncing in his head.

"Hey, Faye, will you make me one?"

"How old are you?"

He sighed and got up off the couch his stomach growling. He had to get away before he said anything. One part of him wished that they were close enough to talk about stuff like that. She had talked with him, once about his past. The conversation had been mostly Faye talking to him, but he had found himself listening, clinging to every word she had said. So didn't that give him a right to talk to her about her past?

He'd never had a 'tuna fish' sandwich before but Faye was always eating them so they must have been good. She kept the stuff in a can with saran wrap over it. He pulled it put and took if the plastic wrap and sniffed it cautiously. It didn't smell too bad. He got a fork and slapped a gob of it on some bread and took bite. It was…different, but it tasted ok.

He walked back down the stars and sat on the couch and continued eating.

"Is that my tuna?" Faye's voice floated ominously over the magazine in front of her face.

"Mmmhmm." He nodded with his mouth full.

"Oi…" he could tell she rolled her eyes.

She was trying so hard to act normally, but today just seemed worse than all the others. Everything just seemed more hopeless, and flat and drab than usual. And Spike wasn't helping, hauling off and eating **her **tuna fish. She was so tired. She didn't expect the quiet voice that that touched her ears asking,

"Did you dream then?" it didn't matter, all the hidden meanings were perceived.

Her throat constricted and she answered, "Yes."

He sat forward his eyes locked at some random spot on the floor somewhere between the couch and the chair. He just couldn't look at her. He was hunched forward; his elbows on his knees head slightly hanging.

"Do you miss-do you wish if you could-," he didn't even have to finish. Of course her answer would be, "Yes."

"Do you dream now?"

She had been rigid in her seat since he first spoke, but this surprised her, "What?" she asked softly watching his face.

"Do you have dreams now?" he repeated softly his lips barely moving.

Did she dream now? Didn't you have to have hope that someday if you dreamed it would come true? When you got down to it she really didn't hope or dream for things at all. It surprised her, she remembered being full of dreams and hope.

"Not really," she said in monotone her breath caught, fore she didn't want to say it, but at the same time she did, and then, "I haven't thought of a good one yet."

__

So she might still have dreams, a dream. He thought.

Much later that day they were on Mars and had just landed. Everyone had gone to bed but Spike. As he walked down the hall he yawned and stretched widely. He saw Faye's door was open a little so he walked quietly down and peeked in. Faye was wearing her usual pajamas and was covered by a sheet. He noticed something black and fuzzy sticking out from under the sheet near her chin. She was curved around Ger. Suddenly her felt sorry for her. She looked so alone. That was the only thing she had to hold on to from her past. Actually it was the only thing she could hold. He sighed. It took all he had to close the door softly and go to his room.

NEXT MORNING

Ed sat on the table typing. She had a secret. A _glori_ous secret. She had found her. Ed had found Gloria. Found Gloria on Mars. There was no place for Bebop on Mars to be fixed for _that_ cheap. Ed had tricked Jet-person to come to Mars. In a few hours he would be up and running all over the city trying to find the place she had told him about. Bu tit was a fake address. And after Jet-Person was gone she would go out and see Gloria.

There was a fair where Gloria was going to be displaying her work. It was in Central Park. Which was supposedly a very beautiful place. Ed herself had never been there that she could remember. Ed could not wait to see Gloria. She was a little sorry to trick Jet-Person, though.

NFA: Lots of feed back please!!! Dreams Go By is by Harry Chapin. Tell me what you think of the song. And about the chapter in general of course! How did you like it? I hope you liked it and that it made sense. 

I'm sorry did I not make it clear that Julia was dead? I'm sorry. I hope this fact doesn't discourage anyone from reading it. 

Hey well maybe I will have chapter 20 out before the weekend is up, we'll see, but I think that I'm on a roll!


	20. An Ed In Central Park

Hi! Today we meet Gloria! I'm so happy.

Thanks to **Cowgirl13**, yes I'm back.^_^. Thank you **NessacusGirl**! I'm so glad you like it. It was so nice to meet you. Has it been fifteen minutes yet? **Kyra**, thank you! *hugs* OMG really? Free crab tomorrow! Thank you, **Setryochi**, me? Cool, thank you! Thank you **Moonfairy**! Hehe, poor Jet wait until you see! Thank you, **RySenkari**! Yay! You liked the song! (I like that song too^_^) **Shari Hirtle** you're back! Yay! Thank you **Sushigirl07**!! I know! I nearly fell out of my chair!

Well, here comes the real test.

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop. *Got a drummer boy quarter as change in the cafeteria on Friday*

Thought are in _italics_

Flashbacks are indicated by a line____ _

An Ed in Central Park

_Today is the final day of the famous Earth Festival that takes place in Central Park. Which is a week long festival in commemoration of Earth. The many attractions include artists, amusement rides, Old Earth style, and displays of many historic artifacts, demonstrations and speakers and musicians…._

The article just seemed to ramble on and on about this festival, _Sounds like a real intellectual trip… _Faye thought sourly, as she turned to a new page in the magazine. She had woken up early in the morning and could not get back to sleep. Being that they had no real schedule she and Spike usually slept pretty late. Jet had a schedule. After all these years he still had the habits of a working man. Now was about the time she should have been getting up.

"Are you gonna go to that?" came Spike's voice from right over her shoulder. She jumped and turned around giving him the 'glare of death.'

"No."

"Oh." he said straightening up and putting his hands in this pockets. "I just thought that you might-"

"No."

"Wow, someone got up on the wrong side of the bed." he said smirking.

She glared at him and he turned off into the kitchen. Since he had found that tuna fish tasted good and it annoyed Faye when he ate it, he ate it at leased once a day. He smiled as he reached the last step and then took a big bite of…air? He looked up and saw Faye's retreating back and watched as she lifted the sandwich to her mouth and took a bite. 

"Thanks." she said chewing as she walked off.

"Hey! That's my sandwich!" he ran after her.

She turned around at the end of the hall to face Spike and popped the last piece in her mouth before he could stop her.

He growled and turned around and stomped off mumbling about how she always ate everything on the ship.

_Tuna fish always makes a good breakfast._ she thought patting her stomach.

Ed hummed as she walked with Ein trotting next to her down Carson Avenue. As soon as Jet had left on his wild goose chase Ed had snuck out of the Bebop. She new that Spike-person and Faye-Faye would not notice that she was gone. There were many people all walking this way as well. Ed didn't actually know where she was going she just figured that if she walked around enough and followed the crowd she would get there eventually. Cars rolled down the streets in traffic jams, and ships and planes flew over head, while the babble of a million people flowed thought the city.

Up a head there was a break in the lines of buildings, skyscrapers and streets. It was green. 

"Ein look!" she pointed at the green fuzzy looking gap that could only be Central Park. Ein looked in the direction of her finger, but could only see peoples back sides. He looked at her and wined. 

"Oh, Ein you can't see! Ed ward will fix that!" she picked him up and put him on top of her head. "There is that better Ein?" she asked looking up her forehead at him. He barked, tongue hanging out one side of his mouth.

"Alright!" she pointed one finger straight up and started to run, both hand holding on to Ein.

Ed walked through the festival staring in awe at all the stands and people. She would have loved to stop and gawk at things, but she was on a mission. Ein balanced on her head and arms swinging she continued to search.

She walked between great oak trees and lilac bushes down gravel paths and over wide lawns. She passed many people. She stopped to sit on a bench and took Ein of her head and held him close to her face and said sadly, "Ein Central Park is too big for Ed. Ed thinks Ed needs a map." she hung her head. Ein made a sound of consolation and wiggled out of her hands and on to the bench next to her. He looked around. He barked at Ed and hopped of the bench and trotted away.

"Ein?" she trotted after him.

She followed him to a man handing out maps of where all the attractions were.

She walked stiff-legged up to the man and sang out, "One map for Ed, please."

He looked down at her his dark blue cap shading his eyes from the sun, "Here ya go kid." in an accent reminiscent of old N.Y.C. and handed her a map.

She flew back to the bench and unfolded it. Ein jumped up on the bench and scanned the maps with her.

"Um, Ein where are we?"

Ein snuffed and put a paw on the map. Ed lifted his paw and looked at the map and then stood on the bench and looked around. She dropped back to the bench. And began looking for Gloria.

"There she is Ein!" she pointed at a white square. She put one finger on where they were and then moved her fingers together, sliding across the map to meet halfway.

She folded the map back up and put it in the back of her shorts. *where else would she put it?* She picked up Ein, set him atop her head and them took off across the park. 

She had reached where Gloria had her things set up. She had been sitting under a tree across from Gloria's tent for the last ten minutes staring at her. Watching her chat with customers about the paintings or local news or chatting with people who were acquaintances. In the ten minutes Ed was there Gloria had made two sales. One was painting of the Statue of Liberty and the other was of a red and white striped lighthouse. (Portland Head Light).

She turned and looked down at Ein who was sitting next to her. "Ein? Ed is nervous." she hugged him. This wasn't just any person. This was Gloria. She buried her face in Ein's fur. The was a piece of paper attached to the side of the booth that people would stop to read. So Ed got up and being careful not to be seen by Gloria, read it.

Gloria Gustafson

Gloria Gustafson is a historical water color artist. A native of Mars, she has studied art at New Julliard on Mars and has worked with many prominent artists throughout her career. She is most famous for her renderings of the Grand Canyon, and the skylines of many prominent cities on Earth before the Gate Incident. Her main subjects are historical places on Earth. She also is known for her work with lighthouses and many famous landmarks. She currently lives in Cirrus on Venus. 

Visit her homepage at http://un.glogust.com

She rotated her head and looked down and at an angle at Ein, "Oieee! Ein! Why didn't Ed think to go there?" she wined and pointed at the paper. He sat down and scratched behind his ear and then sat upright and looked at her as if to say , 'you should have asked me.'

"Ieeeeeeyaa." she sighed. She tiptoed back to her seat next to the oak tree. She watched Gloria for a little while longer and then decided that it was now or never.

She walked slowly and calmly to the booth, hands clasped behind her back.

"Hello." she said.

Gloria turned around and said, " Hello." she was wearing a long sundress with a light shirt over it, which the breeze stirred gently. She even had the same long red ponytail that Ed remembered. Gloria smiled kindly and asked, "How are you?"

Ed reached up and wrapped her arms around her neck and her legs around Gloria's waist and whispered, "Ed missed you Gloria."

Gloria had stiffened in surprise when this gangly, golden eyed child had wrapped herself around her waist, but then, "Françoise?"

"Ed is Françoise." she replied simply.

"Ed?"

"Yes! Edward Wong Hau Pepalau Tirvirsky the 4th ." she nodded proudly. Then Ein barked Ed looked down at him and said, "and this is Ein!" Gloria realized at this moment that there might be more to her Françoise than meet the eye.

Hours later the sun was getting low, and the shadows were long as she sunset in a crimson blaze of glory. Things were quieter now, and many people had gone home or where ever they go at the end of the day. Ed had spent all afternoon telling Gloria all about everything that she had done and where she had been. Gloria had listened patiently and asked questions and gasped in all the right places Ed thought.

Ed turned and waved one last time at Gloria, big smiles lighting up both their faces. Ed thought about how Gloria had reacted when she had told her all about Bebop. Gloria had made her promise to come back and see her. Ed was also sure that Spike-person and Faye-Faye had noticed Ed's disappearance by _now_. Briefly she wondered as she and Ein made their way back across Orphis towards where the Bebop was, what she was going to do now that she had found Gloria.

It was warm and comfortable. She sighed and became even more relaxed. It was perfect. Wherever she was it was perfect. No pain, no nothing. Just comfort and warmth.

"Faye!" she sat up coming out of her fuzzy warm world reluctantly.

"What?!" she yelled back at Spike. She had fallen asleep in the chair.

"Ed is gone and Jet has been gone all day!" it was just like him to be too lazy to get off and tell her like normal person.

"So?!"

"Just thought that you would like to know." he came out and leaned on the railing smirking down on her.

She threw a pillow at him and it bounced off his hair, he caught it and threw it back. She, in turn caught the pillow and stomped out of the room.

NFA: Ok so there it is Ed's chapter in the sun! I hope you liked it! As always please review!!!


	21. Take It Like A Man

I sat there and cried the whole night. It was just one of those days when everything from the smallest to the largest just comes down on you and you can't get away and it forces you to suffer and cry and feel horrible. I hate that. Feeling that way. It just brings you down deeper into all the problems and you can't go to sleep and get away. And the thoughts don't stop coming because you're awake.   
  
It hurts in my heart so goddamn much.   
  
One part of me says it's a hormonal thing that's making you want to cry. But you know it's not. You know why. And so you let it crush you. And all you look forward to is when its done crushing you and you can go on pretending to be normal. Pretending that things last. When all of the futile wishing is done, when you're done feeling sorry for yourself and everything. You just can't wait because its suffocating you, but if you don't then you know it will just get worse.  
  
  
She sometimes wondered why she put herself through it. She had watched the beta and guiltily she let go of her control and broke down. She lay on her bed, eyes fixed on nothing, the tears and painful thoughts just wouldn't stop; they flowed down her face and through her mind.  
  
It occurred to her that maybe she caused it by herself. Because she wasn't accepting it. Deep down she wasn't. Not really. Somewhere someone said something in her mind  
  
You can't get better until you accept the pain and make it apart of yourself. And hold all of it the pain and everything all at once. Then you can get better.   
  
As the night went on the random clanking and humming of the ship went in one ear and out the other, completely unnoticed. Eventually she slept. Dreaming of what might have been, and then how it never was. 


	22. Sylvia's Jamaican Jammers pt 1

Hello everyone!  That last chapter was feeling all very serious so I didn't put the thanks in it. And it was to short.  I'm sorry.  So here are the thanks for everything.

Thank you **Roarmuncle!  You were my 100th review!*jumps up and down* I was so glad that you came back Kelly!*hugs*.  Hey you know what Kelly? Yours is really cool too! Thank you so much ****Cowgirl13 and Spike!  You guys rock too! :) Love ya! Oh and Spike and Faye don't always fight do they? Umm ok yea…they do.^_^  Thank you ****Ry!  Whoa! Guess what? I got an Indiana quarter! It has a racecar on it! Hehe that's too cool.  ****NessacusGirl!^_^ Hehe.  Gabby I ate some popcorn and it turned EVIL and choked me!  I'm not ever staying up until 3 in the morning either…((Suddenly a girly foot burst on to the scene! "Oh no!" shouted the feet. "What's the matter?" asked the girly foot. "Its Gren's foot!" whispered the second foot to the first foot. "Quick lets runaway!" whispered back the first foot.  And they did.  "Hey where are you going?" asked the girly foot.)) (Olo!)  ****Sushigirl07, really that movie scared you?  I liked it a lot.  I thought that it was so cool that I wrote a story at school that was like a rip off of it about a unicorn.  I was a little 2nd grader and it was three paragraphs long.  I thought that I was just the coolest thing since sliced bread.  The last lines were: The mommy said, "It's a miracle." The President said, "It's a miracle." too.   Did anything happen?: )  Aww, ****Cherry6124 you don't like tuna fish? Thank you!  You have to tell me what that story is. I never got to read it.  Strife21 thank you, I'm glad that you liked chapter 20! Hehe, I thought that those parts were cute too.  Also thank you to Strife21 for her donation to The Search for Spare Change, an Australian coin!  Oh, ****Kyra! Is it that tennis playing dude? Hehe. Hey, tuna fish is yummy.  I would fight for one.^_^ I must email you. I feel evil…Thank you!**

Ok, if anyone can figure out how the title of the chapter and the names of the bounties are linked you get a prize!  You know what? I just noticed that there are always like 5 chapters between every set of bounty chapters…that's odd…I don't plan it that way…Hmm, well enjoy…

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop

Thoughts are in _italics _

Sylvia's Jamaican Jammers Pt. 1

Spike was in the kitchen eating when he heard the bay doors open, and someone fly in and then heard them close.  _Must be Jet._

            Ed was lying next to the table in front of the couch typing and Ein was next to her watching.  And as far as he knew Faye was off in her room sleeping.

            The door creaked a little as it rolled aside and admitted Jets Large hulking frame into the room. Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump. Ha came down the stairs to stand before Ed. 

            "Ed?" Jet asked quietly his arms crossed over his chest.  Spike leaned back in his chair so he could see what Jet and Ed were up to.

            "Yess, Jet-person?" she asked with out looking up or removing her goggles.

            "Ed," he began, trying to stay calm, "I searched all day," his voice rose slightly with every word, "for that repair place you told me about."

            "And?" she said and Spike leaned back in the chair more.

            "AND?!" Jet hardly ever got angry over anything, but he had on hell of a day. "I got lost Eight times, and was chased by a crazy old lady!! She hit me with her purse!" he exclaimed.  "Do you realize how many Bells Ferry Roads there are in Orhpis!?"

            "Oh Jet-Person Edward is sorry! Ed is sorry sorry!" She wrapped herself around Jets left booted leg and rubbed her cheek against his knee. 

            "Well, uh," no one could stay mad at Ed, "It's OK now and Ed.  It's not your fault…" he trailed off he couldn't take it when kids looked at him that way; with huge puppy dog eyes and the whole bit.

            Suddenly there was a CRASH from the kitchen.  Throughout the conversation Spike had leaned further and further back until the angle had become too extreme and he lost his balance and toppled over backwards.  Faye had walked in just as he fell backwards.  She walked over and leaned over him.

            "Sucks to be you."

            "Err..." he growled up at her from his position on the floor.

            Just then Jet walked in and looked at Spike on the floor, "Hey Spike."

            "Yea?" Spike started to get up and Faye moved off down into the main room.

            "Remember those guys that were on the news a couple of weeks ago?" Spike nodded.  "During my adventure I ran into and old friend for the ISSP."

            "So?"

            "He gave me some info about a private contract on them."

            "Really?"

            "Yea, I got their location and how much they're worth."   

            "Are they good?"

            "Hell yes. 70,000 for each.  They're hiding out in a colony off Europa."

            Doing the math Spike decided that hell yes was the right description.  "I'm game. Lets go."

            Jet went off to set the Bebop's course to Europa and spike went to the fridge for food. 

15 HOURS LATER

Last night had not been a good night.  She sat down on the yellow sofa and watched Ed typing and gradually fell asleep sitting on the couch.  Spike and Jet went about getting ready.  They intrinsically had decided not to bring her along.  Guy thing.  No girls allowed.  

Jet was out in the hangar starting the Hammerhead and Spike was checking his guns as he walked past the couch and saw her snoring softy.  He walked over to the sofa and leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Faye?"

"Yes, honey buns?" she said not really awake.

"Jet and I are going out." Still whispering.

"Going out where?" she asked not even opening her eyes.

"To get a bounty off Europa." His smile widened.

"OK, have fun with that." she flapped a dismissive hand at him and turned away.  He walked out of the room telling Ed to take care of Faye.

Both ships had taken off. And Faye was hazily trying to remember something Spike has said to her before.  Something about honey buns? No, no she had said that.  He said something about going off to Europa with Jet…She sat straight up on the couch.  They were off to get a bounty without her!  She needed that money!  She ran up the stairs and to her room.  Five minutes later she was running down the stairs shoving her hands into the arms of her red jacket, guns ready.  She flew past Ed and Ein on her way to the hangar, "Ed you know the rules, all the rules apply."

"Yes, Faye-Faye!" she said and then she began to recite the rules in no particular order.  "No running with sharp objects. No opening the door.  Don't take anything from strangers.  Don't answer the phone.  Don't make a mess.  Don't hurt the mutt.  Don't leave the ship.  If you see a stranger follow him." Just for fun she slipped one of her own into the list and continued saying the rules and Faye was long gone.

            _Faye is gonna be so pissed when she wakes up.  Spike thought as he started up the Swordfish II.  The top came down and Spike saw Jet waiting for him a few hundred meters away.  As he flew out of the hanger Jet's face popped up on the screen._

            "Ok our guys are-"

            "Theres more than one?"

            "Yeah, why?  Gonna chicken out?"

            "Nope." He said confidently.  He loved a challenge.

            "Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley and Eddie Grant are wanted for 20 counts of murder and some counts of petty theft." Spike rolled his eyes and muttered, "Jim Bob..."  "They're hiding in Sylvia's Depot off Europa."

            "What the hell kind of name is Sylvia's Depot?"

            "I don't know.  It was one of the very first 'free ground' colonies.  Some loony from Earth probably named it."   

NFA: Ok, that's that. Big smooches to Gabby, who has aided me endlessly since we met.  And to Torrie Waldrop who helps me edit…though it's usually after the fact……Remember if you can figure out how the name of the chapter and the bounties are linked (other than the obvious reason) you get a prize!


	23. Sylvia's Jamaican Jammers pt 2

                **Live from the dining room table at my Grammy's house! **(What a wonderful place to be!)

Heeey, finally well well before you're aloud to read the chapter you have to read the thanks…

                **NessacusGirl**, Dearest Chum. Hey wow! Looki! *points at limerick*** **Whoa it's a whole limerick about me! Hehe. Cool.  Tell ya what. I'm gonna write you a whole girly foot story and send it to ya. Olo! Listen to me play! And Julia also did my hair.  Do you like it? OLO!  Popcorn is evil! It always chocks me! I knew of it evilness I KNEW! But pickles are yummy. :) No way Jose! Thinking is poisonous! I have to find out what a fear of thinking is called for you. Oh and Kelly says FOLO!   **Kyra**, I am evil BWAHAHAHAHAAA!  Ooo, brutally hot tennis dood, good luck, hehe.  Olo I can do the Xena war cry too! I would do it during soccer games, freak the other team out. ^_^  Ahh the good ol' days.  I like that poem it's cute.  We all must release the twelve year old within us all. :) I hope that you did well on that psychology issue.   **Cowgirl13**, I thought so too, hehe.  I love you guys too. ^_^ Congrats Mr. Butterfly! **Ry**! Close, close, close! OK, yea it was kinda obvious but it's more complicated.  There will be more clues later young padawan. (I love to say that!  I STILL wanna see Yoda fight that dude…) I have a question: is Rockingham a big racing place?  And if so, where? I heard it in a country song…_Why aren't you in Rockingham chasing Gorgon down? _Do you know?? Um, yea. That's the question.  Thank you!  **Shari Hirtle**! *dancing* I'm soo glad that you liked it!^_^  **RoarMuncle**! Kelly! Kelly! It's Sylvia's! It's Sylvia's! Sylvia's exists in the future! Omg .! I feel bad for the children. Spare the children! FOLO! **WingGoddess**! You're back! You're back! Yes! I'm so happy.  **Dannyboy**, thank you!  I am glad that you think that my story is good. :)  Welcome, what's a good secretary for? YES! you liked it yesyesyesyes! CONVERSION COMPLETE! Olo. In World Hon Geo! Pizzellies (I didn't spell it right because I don't know and my computer doesn't know, please don't have my head. I'm not Italian.) are yummy.

                I'm sorry this chapter took so much longer than usual.  I had **two** big papers due on Burkina Faso and Guinea Bisseau….World Honors Geography is EVIL! P.s. I don't know how Faye's ship works exactly so please don't kill me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop

Thoughts are in _Italics._

Flashbacks are indicated by a line____ _

(Stuff in parenthases are when a character answers his/herself)

Sylvia's Jamaican Jammers Pt. 2

                Her foot shifted on the gear and she leaned forward, pushing deeper into the accelerator.  Her teeth clenched in frustration and anger.  She could not believe that they had left her sleeping while they went off after a bounty.  _Men are such inconsiderate buttheads… _

Half way to Europa she realized that she didn't know where exactly Spike and Jet had gone.

________________________________________ _

"Faye?"

"Yes, honey buns?"

"Jet and I are going out."

"Going out where?"

"To get a bounty off Europa."

"OK, have fun with that."

________________________________________ _

                _He said _off _Europa so maybe they aren't necessarily on Europa…they could be just in the general vicinity…so I'll get Ed to pull up all the bounties around Europa._

She pulled out her communicator and pressed the first button and listened as the Bebop was dialed. She listened as it rung a few times. She prayed that Ed would pickup.

ON THE BEBOP

                While hanging from a pipe running across the ceiling over the yellow couch, Ed had been stuck by and idea. That everyone, even standing still, was in actuality moving very fast.  The Bebop it self was currently orbiting Ganymede which was orbiting Jupiter which was orbiting the sun and their solar system was hurtling through the universe, probably orbiting something even bigger.  She had hung upside-down from the pipe stunned in to silence by he own thoughts until she got too dizzy and fell to the floor with a thump. Then she decided that it was her job to make sure that Ein was aware that they weren't still, they were all hurtling through the vastness of space at incomprehensible speeds.

                She held Ein out in front of her as she twirled and sang nonsensical words about a 'fantasmulous cosmic dance'.  She set Ein who was dizzy and quite annoyed, down and began to pleae and leap around the room.   Suddenly the phone rang.  He trotted over to the trunk-functioning-as-a-table, hopped up and pawed the 'answer' button.  Faye's face appeared and she was about to yell something when she realized that it wasn't a humanoid answering the phone, but Ein. Her mouth hung open slightly and she started to brokenly tell him that she wanted Ed. Before the statement could come fully out of her mouth he flashed her an annoyed look.  It almost seemed to say 'I get it you can shut up now', but in a patient and weary way.

                "Umm, yea that's right get Ed!" she said loudly to the dogs retreating tail.  _You just don't talk to dogs_…she thought.  _Especially that one._

                Ein found Ed doing wizards off the pipes and various things crisscrossing the ceiling of the rotating tunnel.  He looked up at her hanging upside-down and barked a couple of times.  She abruptly stopped swinging and singing about little purple chickens and blinked down at him, "What's that you say Ein?" she flipped down and pressed her nose against his cold, wet one said, "You say that Faye-faye is a calling?" she laughed and flew to the phone leaving Ein behind in the tunnel.  His ears drooped and he hung his head slightly and trotted after her.

                Ed flew out to the phone and said, "You raaang?"

                "Huh?" she shook her head and said, "Ed stop messing round.  I need you to look up all the bounty heads on Europa for me."

                "Why?"

                Hey eyebrow twitched, "So that I can find Spike and Jet."

                Ed sat back and tapped her chin, "Edward does not think that Spike-person and Jet-Jet want to be found Faye-faye."

                _Breath, count to ten._  "Yes. They do, Ed.  It's a game; of hide and go seek."

                "Oooo and Faye-faye is seeking Spike and Jet-persons?  But if Faye-Faye is seeking Spike-Spike and Jet-person then why does Faye-Faye want Edward to find bounties? Why not have Ed find Spike-person and Jet-Jet?"

Mentally she slapped herself.  Ed could find anyone anywhere.  She didn't need to race in pointless circles, Ed could find them and then all she would have to do is catch up.  Sometimes Ed made too much sense.  She shook her head.  "OK, then Ed find Spike and Jet and then feed it to the Redtail."

                "What's the magic word??"

                Faye raised a brow, "Where did you hear about that word?"

                "Spike. What's the magic word??" she answered seamlessly, unblinking.  Faye sighed. Spike could be out hunting a bounty and indirectly be a pain in her ass without ever even knowing it.

                "What are you the manners police?"

                Ed's eyes widened and she said, "Yes Edward is the Manners Police!" she made siren sounds and then made a walkie-talkie sound, "Chrrrrt! Magic word! Chrrrrt!"

                "Please?"

                "Alllriight!" she swan dived off the trunk on which she had been perched and masked with her goggles began looking. Faye heard the rapid clickity clack sounds from the keyboard and the occasional body part flashed on to the screen.  A minute later Spike and Jets locations popped up on her screen.

                "Thanks Ed." 

As she was reaching for the 'answer' button Ed's face moved on screen and said, Welcome Faye-faye! Happy hunting!" she hit the button and it was immediately silent in her small ship.  She patted her gun in her pocket, and picked up speed to try and make up for lost time.

"Jim Bob..." Spike muttered to himself snickering.

"What was that?" came Jet over the audio line.

"Nothing." Their bounties names were Jim, Bob, and Ed. How classic. Jim Bob.  For some reason the name inspired a picture of a pale man with a slow accent and a piece of hay sticking out of the corner of his mouth.  He smirked.  105000 woolongs was going to be a comfortable lump in his pocket.  It would have been less if they had had to split it three ways.  Faye was probably awake and wicked pissed off by now.   But once you started splitting things more that two ways it just wasn't that satisfying anymore.  Besides, she ate his sandwich.  They flew on in silence for a few more minutes.  

"Spike we should be there in about ten minutes."  For the first time his eyes really focused on the floating, spiky blob of light. 

Sylvia's Depot was shaped like a sleek six-pointed star.  The six points extended out from a central place and tapered off to points.  It was thick in the middle and thin on the points.  Like the spokes of a wheel.  Huge light panels were positioned in between every spoke further in towards the central hub.  Sylvia's was obviously one of the better 'free ground' colonies.  At the end of each spoke was a mouth in and out of which ships flew.  Three long lines of light markers highlighted the path to the entrance.

"Spike head for, ah, Spoke 3."

He just noticed the huge numbers painted on each spoke.  It looked like five and six were specifically cargo and you know trucker drop off points.  An image of V.T. and her cat Zero (that's its name right??)  flashed through his mind as she watched the long snaking vehicles waiting in line and filing out.  Spike followed Jet in line and they were waved in to a large garage that as soon as it was full, closed off.  The waited for the traffic controllers signal that it was safe to exit their ships.  Once out they followed blinking green arrows to an enclosed lift that would bring them up to the central level of the Hub.  

When the doors opened their eyes were briefly assaulted by the bright artificial sunlight.  They stepped out into what could have been almost any city anywhere, except they knew that it was floating in space not attached to a planet.  It was a bedlam of noise and people and cars and small ships.  The colony didn't allow any ships hat were capable of space travel with in the Hub.  Something about it being unnecessary, and less busy if they kept all space capable ships out of the Hub.  The colony was certainly large enough to warrant to usage of other ships, though. He squinted and could barely make out the other side of the Hub and the 'ceiling was very, very faraway.  No doubt this was one of if not the best free grounder.  Quite far off in the distance there were tall buildings and a few skyscrapers.  It tapered of to what looked like urban residential areas and suburbs and more open areas and parks. 

"Hey, Jet anything specific about where in here?" he asked looking over at Jet who was admiring a large lake far off to the right.

He pulled a rumpled piece of paper out of his pocket, "Yea, the local division of ISSP forces have determined that they have a place on Malabar Boulevard in the basement of building nineteen hundred.  Apparently they have connections within that establishment that allows them to hold up down there."

"If they know exactly where they are then why didn't they send someone to go get Jim Bob and Co.?" Spike asked putting his hands in his pockets.  Jim, Bob, and Ed weren't very daunting names.  And truthfully they looked like wimps to him.  Then again he looked like a wimp to some, but he could quickly show anyone that he wasn't to be trifled with; was dangerous.   

"They did the local division sent in a squad to arrest them, but they never came back.  Its been verified that the whole team was killed." Jet looked pained for a second, but his eyes turned cold.  "If a special squad couldn't handle them then we have to assume that these guys are pretty dangerous."

_Well this is a nice development_, Spike thought, _I haven't had a good challenge in a long time_.  "So should we kick ass now or later?" he asked Jet.

"Later, I have to go have a chat with the head of Sylvia's division and I want to get a better feel for this place." Spike nodded and they began walking down the sidewalk towards the 'city' area until they came to a fork.  "The stations down this way.  Meet me back here in three hours." And with out another word or backwards glance Jet headed down the street.  

The breeze blew softly laced with an appetizing scent.  Spike's eyes found the source of the lovely smell and followed his nose down the other street labeled Fox Run Street.  His stomach rumbled reminding him yet again of how hungry he was.  The street was lined with shops and restaurants and vendors of various items and foods calling out to people to come and take a closer look.  He saw a cheap Chinese place with red neon lights and got some noodles and egg rolls.  

His stomach grumbled happily as he finished his food.  He pulled out Faye's cash card and paid.  He walked out of the establishment and smirked to himself as he held up Faye's card to the last rays of the artificial sunset.  During dinner he had pondered why all the light was artificial when he remembered something that Jet had told him.   Sylvia's Depot was in geosynchronized orbit over Europa so that it would always be in the same place.  And that place was behind in Europa's shadow so no sunlight really ever_.  Yep, Faye is gonna be oh so royally pissed._ He thought amusedly.  _We left her behind _and _I stole her money._  He spent his remaining two hours wandering around the city, memorizing details incase the hunt turned into a chase. He even took the time to wander down Malabar Boulevard and get a peek at building nineteen hundred.  He had wondered how he would be able to tell which building was building nineteen hundred, but it said so in bold brass lettering on the front of a gray-blue glass building about 30 stories, Building 1900.  He shrugged his shoulders and wandered around back.  There were several locked doors labeled EMPLOYEES ONLY, which could be taken care of easily.  A truck as backed up to the building and guys were unloading boxes and canisters and wheeling them away to somewhere in the bowels of the building.  _Jet said that their main base of operations was in the third basement level…_ he thought as he slipped by when all of the guys were on the truck loading something and looked around for a stairwell or an elevator…

There in the left hand corner was a stairwell. He looked briefly around the space memorizing everything and slipped silently back out and down to where he should be meeting Jet soon.

NFA: well pt 2 down hopefully 1 more to go.  Ok. Sylvia's Depot's design was inspired by Gaea (I think) by John Varley. And Ed's revolution was sorta borrowed from High Wizardry by Diane Duane.  Umm you know that thing I wrote pleae? It's a ballet thing you know were you bend your knees…just incase that was spelled so badly that you couldn't tell.  The computer doesn't know I don't know and no one else knows…. (DUANE ON THE BRAIN!! GABBY! I finished it its done! Are you finished with the 4th one yet?? Hehe QUEEP!)  All of those are great books and authors…you might have trouble finding the Varley stuff though…then again maybe not…hmm until later! Please review!


	24. Sylvia's Jamaican Jammers pt 3

            Ok, I'm an absolute dung beetle scumbag for not updating. I have no excuses.

            **RySenkari, Yea that was slow but this one won't be. I think. ^_^ I'm glad that you liked all of Ed's antics. ****Shari Hirtle, There is and there will be! Almost there, aiming at five to six more chapters. Thank you!   **NessacusGirl**, *hugs*  Oh, ****Kyra! Please don't do that, for your safety and mine. Ooo, Becky the rebel! Lol.  ****Sexy Vixen, thanks for the warning about chapter 5. I went to check a bunch of different times, and I think that sometimes it's there and then sometimes it isn't. I guess that it's temperamental.  **Cowgirl13**, Obi is a great name! Aww thank you!:)  **Sushigirl07**, Yay! Lol, at leased you got to be 130 this time. Hehe.  **Roarmuncle**, Kekekeke*evilly*. Christmas dress. Lol! ** Dori Scully**, you printed them all out? *blink blink* Oh, wait thats only five, hehe. I hope they don't put you to sleep too fast. :) Thanks, I was so glad to hear from you again.  **Bitchy Brunette**, thank you. I don't like chapter two anymore either…and the title.. well thank you. Thank you **Alex 'Wa' **for reading my story and making helpful corrections.^__^**

P.s. If anyone has any other constructive criticism tell me please.

Oh yea and the prize for the guess thingy goes to…

*drum roll*

**RySenkari**! Because he's the only one who guessed.  Ehehe…it was kinda lame anyways. And your prize is…this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

Thoughts are in _Italics_

Sylvia's Jamaican Jammers Pt. 3

            Faye, after waiting to get in and taking the lift, stepped out into the bright of Sylvia's Depot. She blinked a few times and, annoyed at how huge the place was, set off towards the left with the city in mind. _I mean how many bad guys would go and hide out in the countryside, right? _She almost got run over a few times jay walking and cursed at the speeding drivers. She wove through the crowds trying to find any sign of Spike or Jet. They are both tall and Jet has a fake arm. They should stick out like sore thumbs.  Suddenly she smelled something good and wandered into what looked like an open air market. She reached into her pocket for her cash card and…took off with renewed energy. She needed to find Spike and beat him to a pulp. He took her card! He must have done it when he was whispering to her.  She blushed at the thought and hurried on down the street.

Jet ambled out of the station and down to the corner where he waited for Spike leaning against a red brick building.  A few moments later Spike joined him coming from the opposite direction. He leaned on the wall next to Jet and lit up a cigarette. 

            "So what's the deal with these guys, Jet? You never said," he said around his cigarette.

            "They're drug dealers."

            "Bloody Eye?"

            "No, a rarer more expensive drug.  It's sold only to select clients. Crystal Meth. I think Crawford said that the Meth is short for methanol or something."

            "Never heard of it."

            "You wouldn't have.  It's been out of production, that the ISSP knew about, for at least a half a century.  There had been major problems with that stuff for a long time and then some newer drugs showed up and it dropped off the scene. These guys are producing and selling it, but it's been illegal for years."

            Spike took a drag on his cigarette and then smashed it under his heel, "I scoped the place out earlier and found a back entrance into the building and a stairwell leading down to the basement levels."

They set off towards Building 1900, just as Faye paused to lean on the street sign at the intersection of High and Central. She had walked around about one whole side of downtown and her feet were beginning to hurt. The sun was setting off to her left and the purple shadows were long, contrasting sharply with the bright glints of sunlight off buildings and vehicles. 

Here Central came to a dead end and High kept going, but turned into Malabar Boulevard. _Why not.  I haven't been down there yet_. Faye though tiredly. For a moment she thought about just going back to her ship and going home, but the thought of Spike and Jet leaving her behind and Spike taking her card spurred her on. She pressed the button and waited for the light this time, tired of nearly being hit every time she didn't wait for the signal.  The lights changed and she saw the signal. Walking across the street and down Malabar she looked at the buildings. She looked in between buildings and on the other side of the street in hopes of see Spike and or Jet.

As she walked passed the alley between one building and another building she stopped, backed up a few steps walking into someone. She blinked and then trotted off down the alley smiling to herself. She thought that she had seen a bit of Jets metal arm sticking out from behind the corner of the building and sure enough it moved and disappeared from sight. It was them alright. 

She crept down to the corner and peeked around in time to see them disappear through a door. She waited a few seconds then tried the door. Locked. She pulled a hair pin out of her boot, picked it and let herself in. She looked around in the wide open darkness. There was only one door that led down a stairwell. She went through and went silently down the steps. She could just barely make out the clonking from Jet's boots that she knew he was trying hard to conceal.  She leaned over the railing and saw Spike's puffy head and Jets shiny bald pate. She headed down after them.

Faintly someone could be head yelling. She couldn't make out what was being said unless they got closer. Spike and Jet stopped at the corner just before the dank cement hall opened up into a long narrow room.

"Hey, where's all the money gone?"

"We had to order all kinds of new equipment and it's all gone. Rememba? Last time you two dingbats got high you went on a rampage and broke everythin'! Caused such a commotion I was sure that we'd be found out!"

"Oh, yea."

"Hey Bob I need the water. Would ya go turn it on?"

"Sure. Why not! I already take care of everythin' else around here!"

Bob walked around the corner and came nose to nose with Spike's gun.

"Get down." He pulled the trigger. Bob, dreadlocks flying, fell backwards and came up yelling. "Bounty hunters!!" he came at Spike with a punch Spike angled away from him and Bob went sailing by.  Faye backed up against the other side of the hallway to watch

Meanwhile Jim ran at Jet screaming. He managed to knock the gun from Jets hand, but Jet was a lot bigger than the thin man. Jet grappled with him until he had backed Jim up against the table with the all of the equipment, knocking it over and shattering a large, heavy glass beaker.  Spike and Bob traded blows and bullets. Jim managed to get Jet back and pulled a gun off of the desk that Eddie was cowering in fear behind. He aimed the gun but Jet lunged forward and he stumbled backwards in surprise over something and landed on the remains of the beaker. The shot went wild and hit the wall. Dust and chunks of cement went flying, clouding the air. That was when Bob saw Faye and grabbed her pressing the gun to her head. 

"Faye!" Spike yelled in surprise and anxiety. Her eyes widened and in reaction she bent over quickly trying to throw him off her. It worked, barely. Spike jumped on him, flipping him over and handcuffing him. Jet heard Eddie whimpering behind the desk and using his mechanical arm ripped the desk from the wall. Eddie up blinked at him.

"Please don't hurt me! They forced me to do it! I didn't want to!"

"Yea, yea." Jet said as he handcuffed him.

"Ya gotta believe me!"

"Where's the third one?" Spike asked coming around the corner as he lit a cigarette. He had left Faye to guard Bob. Jet motioned gravely to at where Jim lay impaled on the remains of the beaker. He squatted down and checked for a pulse on the mans wrist. Faye came up behind him and he heard her gasp softly and turn away. A few minutes later sounds of officers making their way down the stairs reached them. Jet collected the payment for the two bounties. 

Faye went to her ship and landed it next to Spike and Jet's. She expected to get paid as well. She did help. She leaned against the side of Spike's ship and pulled out a cigarette. A flame appeared under her nose attached to Spike's arm. He leaned on his ship next to her and pulled out another cigarette. From out of nowhere in his other hand appeared her card. She snatched it and put it in her pocket. 

Spike patted his stomach and said, "Thanks for dinner honey buns." He smirked back at her for a second as he walked around the other side of his ship. 

Her eyebrow twitched, "Lunkhead…"

NFA: Ok I wasn't doing nothing this whole time. I have edited and added to chapters one, three, four, five and am working on six. One, three, four, five have been updated so feel free to go and see those if you want.


	25. In the Rubble

            Thank you to…**NessacusGirl, **I'm glad you liked Bob too. Waannnk errrr. OLo!  **Sushigirl07,** I'm glad you and everyone liked my first real fight scene. I thought it was a bit lame.-_-;; Thanks Hally!  **Kyra, **thanks a lot. You really think it is? *hugs*  When is _your _next one coming out, huh? You didn't loose the little book again? Did you check the trunk? ^_~  **Setryochi**! Hello! It's been a while thank so much! **Strife21**, you're back too! Of course, and thank you!

Ok, this is supposed to be kind of like the last wicked short chapter, except with Spike. Ya know they go together?  I hope its ok.

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop

In the Rubble

Spike decided that he was going to go for a walk. Visit his old stomping grounds for a while. Jet was chopping his trees and Faye was doing girly things and Ed was...Ed. So he got in his ship and flew off without a word to anyone.

That moment was frozen forever I his mind. When it ended. Everything stopped then. Quite often the events of his life played through his mind. Running with her, loving her, and then watching her fall.  He said he was going to find out if he was alive. Well he did. He had been.

Now he was dead. His body went through the motions and occasionally he thought seriously about things that were currently happening but not often. He preferred to stay hidden deep inside and away. He wasn't aware.

 His life before had not been the dream that was when he had been the most alive ever. This, this now, this 'reality' was the dream. Everything had begun and ended with Julia. He never thought about what should have happened. Where he should and shouldn't be.  A shell that thought, reacted, and did the things normal people do.  Then again normalcy is relative. But never felt. Maybe shades of the more intense feelings he used to feel, but nothing like before.

Inside it was a never ending walk though the rain, waiting for some closure. But he had his chance at that. So he kept going. He had to find some for himself.  He wasn't looking though, just empty. Perhaps he lacked the will, motivation. What had been life, his life, he loved it. Loved Julia. Now it was gone. All of it. Nothing was left, but the empty, torn apart syndicate building... Empty and torn apart like him. Everything was rough and unreal; his bones ached with it all. Everything that had happened. It felt like his life, past everyone he'd ever met and every word he'd ever said was laid out behind him as a heavy cloak.  He could see and feel every second dragging behind him.

Screw everyone that said suffering makes you stronger, builds character. Screw everything about life after love and time healing all wounds. Screw that. 

As he walked out of the building he left all of those thoughts behind again deep underneath the rubble. He lengthened his strides because distantly he thought he remembered Jet saying something about actual beef.


	26. Sockies!

I started thinking that maybe I should put all my thanks in a line like everyone else so its easier to read…

Thanks to: Thanks **Kyra**, I'm glad people like the way I ended that chapter. I thought that it would be a good way to end it. 

**NessacusGirl, **I still don't think that she's an evil skank. Olo! Yea, The Puppy Song would do him some good! ^__~ . 

**Cowgirl13, **Hehe, there is! Anyways mucho romance is in the plan. ^__^ 

**Strife21, **Hiya! No, it was just the last of the really short chapters not the last chapter. There was the short chapter all about Faye and then one about Spike. Hehe, I didn't think anyone would really notice it, but I'm glad you did! Thank you! 

**RySenkari, **Its ok Ry! *glomp* I'm glad you're back!

**Sushigirl07, **Olo! Thanks Homie H! :)

**Fallenangel**. You know it took me a couple of days before it clicked who ya were! Lol. I'm so glad you like it! ^__^Hehe, those are some of my favorite chapters too. Is there any way to get in touch with you like email or aol or something?

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

Thoughts are in _italics_

Sockies!

The hiss of the hot skillet and sizzling peppers and real, yes real, beef leaked through the ship calling all inhabitants to the living room. They sat,   laid, or hung somewhere in the room just down the steps from the kitchen waiting for dinner. Well, Ed actually was quite unaware. She had found a new security system which looked like it might contain some interesting things. She was having a contest against herself to see how fast she could break it. Spike was all over the couch, presumably sleeping. Faye was staring at a spread of solitaire. She hadn't made any moves for the last ten minutes, just staring at the cards. She blinked and moved her hand from under her chin and shifted some cards. They heard the click of Jet shutting off the burner and Faye stood up and leaned on the railing looking up expectantly, Spike sat up looking more alert, and Ein wagged his tail; which when you came down to it was like wagging his whole body. It was kinda cute. Jet walked out with the apron on and was about to yell for them when he saw the whole gang, minus Ed, watching him. With them gathered and waiting he set the pan on the trunk and went back for plates.  
  
            "Hey!" He shouted as he tossed them at Spike. Three battered, plastic plates sailed through the air towards him. He reached up lazily and caught them. He in turn tossed one at Faye, put one in his lap and looked to Ed.

"Ed, ya want some dinner?" He asked around the cigarette he had just lit. "Hey, kid." He tapped her on the head with the plastic plate.   
  


She pulled off her goggles and hopped over to sit on the floor at the end of the trunk making happy dinnertime noises. "Jet! We need utensils!"               Spike hollered up the stairs.  
  


"Coming, coming!" he called form the kitchen. Bangs and clinks could be heard as he looked through the sink and dishwasher for some silverware or chopsticks. A few moments later he came down with two forks, one pair of chopsticks and a spoon. He handed a fork to Ed and Faye, gave Spike the spoon and kept the chopsticks for himself and began to dole out the food evenly. When it was divvied up between he put the rest in Ein's bowl. Ein sniffed disapprovingly and ate around the strips of pepper. 

Spike held the spoon up and stared at it. "The spoon?" he deadpanned. He narrowed his eyes across the way at Faye, but she had already slobbered all over hers so that one was out of the question. He turned to Ed. She was spacing out at her food. "Hey, Ed." He began wheedlingly. "I'll trade you my spoon for your fork." Jet watched him try to convince Ed into giving him her fork and smiled to himself as he ate.    

 "Nope!" she declared happily and was about to plunge into her food with the fork when Spike caught her wrist.  
  


"Whoa, there, Ed. Why not?"  
  


"Because Edward likes forks." She smiled at him.  
  


"But you know what?"  
  


"Whaaaat?"  
  


"You can see yourself in a spoon." He said matter of factly. He held the spoon to her face to show.  
  


This sudden admission of a known, but hardly recognized fact surprised her and she decided to examine it further.  She tossed the fork at Spike who wasn't ready and barely caught it, as she snatched the spoon from him.  

When all of the food was gone Faye continued her game of solitaire and Spike went out on the deck to smoke and think. The phone line began to ring and Jet yelled from the bonsai room, "Hey! Someone pick that up!" He was in the middle of watering his bonsai and Faye and Ed and Spike were still in living room. When it continued to ring He stalked out of his room and angrily pressed the pickup button, "Yea?"   
  


"Hello?" a soft womanly voice asked as a tan face framed with bright red hair appeared on screen.

            Jet blinked, surprised. _This woman has to have the wrong number_. "Hello?" she asked again.

            "Er, sorry, Hello." 

            She looked a little nervous but stared hard at him and asked, "May I speak to f-Edward?"

            He blinked again. _Since when does Ed get calls? And calls from pretty ladies at that!_  _I only get calls from ugly old guys_. "I'll go find her." He answered

            The woman looked like that wasn't the answer she had been expecting, but she said, "Alright." Jet went to look in the rotating tunnel and in some of the halls around behind the kitchen and hangar. Faye who had quietly slipped off as soon as the phone rang peeked around the corner followed by Spike above her. 

            "I wonder who it is." Spike said quietly.

            "Maybe it's a collector." She breathed her eyes glued to the back of the phone.

            "Don't flatter yourself." He scoffed and leaned against the sloped wall and pulled out a cigarette. He tossed one across the hall at Faye as she leaned against the other side. 

They stood there smoking until they heard Jet yell from in the tunnel, "Ed! There's someone on the phone for you!" 

And then Ed's response, "Who, whooo, Jet person?"

"It's a woman and she's asking for you."

"Ooo, Gloria. Glorious!"  
  


"Jet scratched his head and climbed back through the door. "Gloria?"

Faye and Spike looked at each other, "Gloria?"

"Gloria!" Ed yelled pouncing on the screen. She hugged it as if the screen would transfer the hug as well as sight and sound. "How are you Gloria? Did you meet Jet-person? What color are your socks today?

A huge smile broke across Gloria's face. Her daughter. Her daughter was wonderful; always cheerful. It made her very happy to know that Francie was happy too. "Just fine, who? And white with blue stripes at the tops. How are you? Are you even wearing socks?" she asked smiling knowing very well that she wasn't.

"Edward is good and so is Ein! Right Ein?" Ein barked. Ed pulled up on foot and wiggled her toes at Gloria smiling immensely. 

"Oh, I'm sorry. Hello Ein!" Ein barked again. "Francie, who is 'Jet-person'?" Gloria asked concerned.

Ed turned around and yelled, "Jet-Jet! Come heerrrree!

"Ed I'm water my bonsai! Can it wait?"

"Nooooo. You must come nooow!"

"Ok..."

Gloria watched extremely amused by the whole exchange as the balding man who answered the phone emerged from a hallway.

Ed jumped from her seat, made a straight face and stiffly gestured for him to sit. He looked curiously at her before turning to the screen. Ed hopped up on the back of the chair and leaned her head on Jet's flesh shoulder. "Gloria, this is Jet Black! He was a cop!" She stood up on the back of the chair and made a gun with her hands and pretended to shoot at people. She made siren noises as she ran around the corner surprising Spike and Faye when she grabbed their hands and towed them over to the phone. They were half highly satisfied to know who this Gloria was and half not sure they actually wanted to meet her if she was a friend of Ed's. 

"This is Spikeford-"

"Spikeford?" he said incredulously looking from the woman on the screen to Ed. They looked very much alike.

"and Faye-faye! She is oool-" Ed couldn't complete the word she had begun to say because Faye's hand was clamped over her mouth. Faye smiled woman on the screen. 

Gloria wanted to laugh so hard, but she figured that it wouldn't have been very polite so she restrained herself. What a picture they all made. So these were the people that Francie had told her all about.

Ed extricated herself from Faye's grip and continued grandly, "Bebop, this is Ed's Mother-person, Gloria!"  Every jaw dropped. It made sense. The resemblance was very close. And that would explain why she calling Ed. Did she want to take Ed back? Would she ask? Would Ed go?

The conversation continued and they all talked amiably until everyone except for Ed and Jet had excused themselves.

Gloria looked at her watch and the apologetically at Jet and Ed, "I'm sorry I really must go, I have to be at the gallery early tomorrow. It was nice to meet you Mr. Black."

"Likewise." He responded smiling.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Gloria!" Ed hugged the screen in farewell before she hung up.  

Gloria was of a mind that Ed seemed just fine right where she was for now. Those that she lived with seemed like responsible people, for the

most part, that would take care of her. Se had a feeling thought that even if she persuaded her to come back or took her away she wouldn't be happy. That if she were invited to stay with her that she might come, but it would only be temporary. 

NFA: Ok! That's chapter 26. I hope you liked it. I was really stressing over Gloria, though. Tell me what you think. PLEASE REVIEW!

  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
            


	27. Secret Agent Man pt 1

Hmm, had some funkitated logic in this chapter, but it's edited so no worries!

**RySenkari**,  Hehe, I'm glad you liked it! And I'm pretty sure she will! **Kyra**, Oo, creative!  Hehe, I hope they're not smelly. Do your feet sweat a lot during tennis?  **Cowgirl13**,  I had to put Spikeford in it! Nothing else seemed right. ^__~ **Fallenangel**, Hehe, I like to do that accent too. ^__^ It was great to meet you and I'll send the mail about the Receptionist soon! **NessacusGirl**,  They are! Hehe, and yes it is! *looks around shiftily* But not until after these chapters..maybe. : D **DarkDragyn**, Thanks! Hehe, yea that might confuse someone, lol!  Thank you for sparking the idea for these chapters! **Strife21, **Yes, most defiantly not the last! And now you can't be anxious for this chapter anymore! Just the next one. ^__^

Thoughts are in _italics_

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

Secret Agent Man Pt. 1

"No."

"No."

"No."

"No," again Jet dismissed the small fry Ed had pulled up. There was a whole list so he didn't feel compelled to spend a long time looking at each one. Ed scrolled down one.

"Wait," he examined a promising looking bounty, but then saw that he had already been turned in. _Why isn't that guy removed from the list? _He thought sourly.

"No."

"No. Ed is this all you could find?" She nodded jerkily. 

"Sorry, sorry Jet person. This is all that there is."

He sighed, "Ok, keep going," a pause. "No."

Spike was smoking on the couch and he supposed that Faye was getting all pruny in the tub. He hated that pruny feeling, especially when his toes got that way. He didn't understand how she could stand to soak in that tub for hours reading and whatever else she did. And Jet, he had been at that since before Faye went for a bath. He started to think that maybe when he went to sleep that maybe he'd still hear "No, no, no, no. Wait! No." in his head.  Just then Faye came padding softly into the room, robed and turbanized and leaned on the back of the couch. 

"They're still at it?" she asked softly.

Spike nodded without opening his eyes, and exhaled. Faye sighed wearily. Suddenly both their ears pricked at the sound of a word that that didn't begin with 'n' or 'w'.

"Oo, hey, click her Ed. Let's get more on her."

Ed giggled and typed her goggles glowing. Information and a mug shot filled half the screen. Imitating a typewriter she said, "Bing!" in time with tapping the last key. 

M.J., or her full name Megasa Jeanne. She was a robber and wanted for 101,000. Faye walked around and plopped down on the trunk, legs crossed leaning back to watch Jet and Ed. Spike's eyes flicked to watch her for a second before moving to Jet as he spoke.  
  


"Ok, we need this bounty. I want us all to go after her together," he said.

"All of us? Even Faye? She shouldn't come. Not after how badly she screwed up last time," Spike said and replaced his cigarette, which he had tapped off and waved in Faye's direction for emphasis.

She whipped her had back to him and scowled deeply. "Me?!" she pouted, "I just followed you! I believe you two took care of your own guys. I didn't k-"

"EVERYONE is coming. That way we can avoid any and all surprises," he looked pointedly at Spike and Faye. She crossed her arms over her chest and Spike looked at the ceiling.  She eyed Spike as he laid on the couch arms behind his head smoking. Suddenly she leaned forward and dipped her hand down his jacket.

"What the hell!" he jumped up, Jet rolled his eyes without moving, and Faye's hand still wiggled around inside his coat. Then her hand closed around the pack of cigarettes and she began to pull her hand out. He clasped her right wrist with his left hand just before she could get totally free, but Faye managed to flick the box to her to her other hand and shouted triumphantly.

"Hey!" he lunged for her other hand and ended up falling off the couch and nearly dragging Faye with him by her wrist. She pulled her hand free and took a cigarette from the box. He watched her light up happily and take a drag. 

She smiled down at him, "Thanks," and went up, through the porthole and into the kitchen. He sighed and got back on to the couch.  Something thumped hollowly on his chest. He opened his eyes and looked at his pack and at Faye coming down the stairs. He picked it up. Empty. He didn't care what she had done with them. He was too sleepy to care. He'd get her back later. 

"Hmm, hitting up the big benefits and fund raisers is how she scams people out of their money. Annnd it looks like the next big one is on Neptune. The LWA Benefit Gala…at Château Nartalla on Neptune. Many veerrry prominent people will be there. She might be there too. It's the only big one happening for a long- "

"Whats LWA stand for?" Faye asked as she sat down on the chair and filed her nails.

Ed shrugged.

"Hmm, Looney Writer's Association? Looney W- "

"You're a loon," Spike said smiling. Jet was going through the information on the Gala that Ed had pulled up. She frowned at Spike and grabbed one of Jet's papers, crumpled it up and threw it at him. Spike picked it up and threw it back but Jet caught it.  
  


"I need that you guys!" he walked off smoothing out his paper to set the course for Neptune, and grumbling about how disrespectful and irresponsible kids were these days.

20 HOURS LATER

"Hey, Ed did you get the specifics on the Gala?" Jet asked crouching behind her.

"Yes! It's 8:30, Neptune Standard Time," she added," at Château Nartalla, on Victoria Way, that's downtown, Jet-person.  Dress is very formal; you can only get in if you've been invited. They're going to have guards and hosts checking the lists. Ex-clusive."

"Looks like we're going to be fashionably late." Faye demurred as she walked in the room. She stood behind Jet as they looked at the floor plans of Château Nartalla. 

Ed worked on getting them into the Gala and Spike slept, while Jet tried to find where he left his white suit and Faye figured out what she was going to wear. Meals and sleeping interspersed throughout.

"Ok, we're leaving for the Gala in about five minutes. Or whenever Faye gets finished. You ready?" Jet asked Spike as he knotted his tie.

"Yea," he said. He was all decked out in his own white tuxedo. bow tie, scarf, gloves, and all. They all wore little speaker/cameras somewhere on their person to keep in contact with Ed. There were probably going to be more than a few other bounty hunters there and the place was huge. Spike and Jet's were in their ties, and Faye's was in her flowery hair accessory.  Faye flowed down the stairs in her black dress and overcoat and gauzy shawl.

"You two clean up nicely," she commented slyly. Spike ignored her comment and Jet grunted and turned to Ed.

"Ed is everything ready?"

She smiled broadly at them, "Yep!"

"Alright, then."

They walked down Victoria Way, Jet in the lead.  Snow swirled down from the thick night blue clouds, on light winds. Spike had seen some people slip on ice patches and he thought that it'd only be a matter of time before Faye slipped in her four inch stiletto heels. They could see Château Nartalla even from here. It was hard to miss. One hundred and ten floors of pink Martian marble rising into the night sky.  It reminded Faye a lot of Callisto. The snow, the fog, and buildings. 

They decided to go in separately. Jet went first.  He made his way up to the front man, gave his name and waited as the man scrolled down through the list of people who had been invited. He was motioned to proceed inside.  Ed had hacked into the system and added their names to the roster. 

"You go." Spike nudged her.

She nodded and took a step and slipped right backwards.  Spike caught her beneath her arms, laughing out loud. She scowled up at him and stood up brushing off snowflakes like dust. "Hey, a shrew as clumsy as you was bound to fall. Good thing I was ready or you would have been all over the ground," he pointed out smiling. When she just stood frowning hard at him, he shook his head and linked her arm with his and dragged her up to the front man. He gave their aliases, "David Rivers and Janet Shepard."

He took a moment to look through the list and said finally, "You may go inside. Please enjoy the Gala." He said monotonously.

They walked through the doorway. "Janet Shepard?  Who came up with that, Jet?"

"Me," Spike said scanning the crowd for Jet. "You make up the names last time."

She blushed faintly, "I look like a Janet?" _DO I look like a Janet?_ She contemplated trying to see herself as a Janet.

Spike was about to answer when Jet's voice can over the tiny comms, "Hey, did you two come in together?"

"Yea," Spike responded.

There were couples dancing, people eating, talking, admiring the décor and the display that told all about the LWA; so people would know what they were giving money to.  The display was near a wide curving staircase that led up to an overhanging balcony with small table with white tablecloths and soft velvet chairs and sofas. Also there was curtained off back room. The main floor was pink, glassy marble that you could see your reflection in, and tables with white tablecloths like the ones on the balcony. There was a wide open space just to the left of the middle of the room that couples were dancing in, and the musicians had a low stage to play on. There were two long buffets of food on either side of the room filled with everything from hotdogs wrapped in bacon and egg fried rice to chocolate mousse cake. Two chefs were placing a large platter of chicken cooked several different ways, and sirloin steak. There was also a pyramid of champagne glasses. Large potted plants were against the far wall in between the three wide, floor to ceiling windows and around the large pink pillar that supported the balcony. 

Upon seeing the buffets both of their mouths watered. "Uh, hey, Jet? Can we look for the bounty after we get some chow?" Faye asked Jet quietly.

"Look as you eat." He responded shortly. They took that as their cue and got in line and began to fill their plates, well Faye did. Most of Spike's food didn't make it to his plate. Faye noticed and elbowed him hard in the back and he nearly choked.

"Spike you're supposed to fill your plate, sit down and _then_, you can eat."  He rolled his eyes and doubled back for some things he had eaten and wanted more of. Five minutes later they sat down in the shadow of the balcony near the pillar and a large ferny plant, with two full plates each.  They dug in immediately and Faye looked around for their bounty as she munched. Her eyes wandered around the room and were suddenly drawn to a handsome man with curly blonde, slicked back hair, which was standing by the champagne glass pyramid chatting with a woman in a long black dress. He moved his glass in the air and they toasted. As the woman walked away he turned back to the buffet.  She inhaled softly. _It_ can't _be him. No way. Samurai don't come to charity balls…_

Spike pointed at something on her plate with his golden fork, "Hey are you gonna eat that?"

NFA: Alright! You can probably guess who that man is. You know what? Writing about all that food made me really hungry. Hope you enjoyed it! Please review!


	28. Secret Agent Man pt 2

Hello! Eurk..please don't hurt me. Been gone for a while. But you know what writing Andy was harder than I would have thought. --;; Then I finally got the hang of him and BOOSH chapter. ^__^  
  
**Kyra**, Ahh distracting socks I see. Hehe, *glomps* thank you! so much again I respect your opinion so much. **RySenkari, **is it Andy? the world may never know! ^__~ **Cowgirl13, **Ohh...maybe.:D Oo, fictionized. Hehe, thats a cool word. I lover you too. : ) **Red-Tenko**, *gasp* Ooo, hello! I was really psyched when you reviewed. I really love all your fics, but I'm lazy. --; **Moonwhisper**, thank you! : ) **NessacusGirl**, ^__^ Hee, I KNOW how COULD THEY? I bet Mark would join the LRA club, no? I still want to try Nutella...And I'll come over and admire the marble while we grade my papers!^__^ **Strife21**, I hope this chapter satisfies! Thanks! **Miss "L"**, Yay! First review from Miss "L"! Ahh so hapee. Wow, you did? that's great! No one mentioned anything about it, I'm glad you did! Yay, **Dreamer**, is back!**  
** Hehe, you're a poet and you didn't know it! Oo, french! Thank you!  
  
Well...nervous about this chapter, I hope its ok.   
  
  
Thoughts are in _italics  
_Small lines __________ mean that I am switching places. Don't get confused.  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.   
  
  
  
Secret Agent Man Pt. Two  
  
  
  
  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Are you going to eat that?"  
  
"Uh, sure you can have it." He speared the item and immediately inhaled it.   
  
The man was talking to...the bounty. _But he gave that up! He CAN'T go after M.J. too! We need this! And if Spike and Andy...oh. I hope they don't notice each other...this building might not be here at the end of the evening.   
  
_"Spike, Faye I see her." Jet's voice rasped softly over the com.   
  
Spike became alert, "Where?"  
  
"There. By the champagne pyramid, see her?"  
  
"Yea."  
  
"I think that guy with her is a bounty hunter." Spike's eyes narrowed at Jet's words. He looked hard at the man. Faye hoped Spike wouldn't recognize him. He was getting that look. The kind he had on just before he would go fight someone...then he stood up and walked off across the room and around the corner to the...bathroom! Faye put her hand on her forehead.  
  
"Lunkhead..."  
  
"What was that Faye?" Spike asked, and she heard a toilet flush in the background.  
  
"Nothing, just next time you have to do that take out the ear piece." She said. A moment later he came out of the bathroom casually looking around, and when he got back to the table he asked, "Where's M.J., Faye?"  
  
"Uh...over there?" she pointed.  
  
He sighed and slapped his thigh with a hand, "You weren't watching were you? God, you've screwed it up already," he frowned teasing her.  
  
"Hey! You have eyes, why don't you look for her!" She crossed her arms over her chest and put her nose in the air.   
  
"Fine-"   
  
"You guys. I'll keep all of the bounty if you don't get your acts together."  
  
"Yea, whatever."  
  
"Sure," they said simultaneously.  
  
Faye looked out the giant windows at the falling snow and Spike ate more, while they all waited for the chance to make their move. Glasses tinkled and people were dancing and drinking the night away. Yes, these were the beautiful socialites of Neptune and the other planets and moons. The top dogs. And they where here to save these selfish pompous butterflies from being swindled. As if they needed to be saved at all.   
  
About an hour later they recond with Jet who had gotten an update from Ed that M.J. was moving up into the back room on balcony. And the man from before was following her still; he was probably a hunter too.   
  
"Faye, you and I will go after M.J. and Spike I want you as back up incase something goes wrong," said Jet.  
  
"What? Why don't we have Faye as back up?" Spike asked incredulously.  


"Well, because you tend to do foolish things, and we want to make this as smooth as possible." said Jet.  
  
"Fine, back up, whatever," he grumbled, severely deflated, as he shoved his hands in his suit pockets.  
  
"Have fun cowboy," Faye winked at him as she glided by him and up the stairs, and Jet followed behind her.  
  
_Well_. Spike thought sourly. He watched them go up the stairs, and he waited a few moments shifting his weight form one foot to the other. Spike glanced around the room absently, before going up himself.  
  
Jet was casually lounging in one of the chairs, and Faye and the man were both converging on the back room, unaware of each other. Spike discreetly walked a few steps behind the man. He looked familiar, but Spike couldn't quite place him. Faye reached the doorway and was about to pull back the heavy velour curtain and slip inside, but the hunter reached out and grabbed her wrist, "Hey there, where are you going on such a lovely evening?"  
  
_Andy.  
  
_Spike swiftly moved behind Andy and pressed his gun into Andy's back. "Andy. Andy Von De Oniyate. Or should I say Mushashi?" Spike smiled sinisterly.  
  
Andy stayed perfectly still and calm, "Oh please, call me, Masterson. Andrew Masterson," he moved out go into the room, but Faye blocked his way. "Ahh, Faye. How beautiful you look tonight," he kissed her hand. "Almost as beautiful as myself," He winked at her. "Now if you'll excuse me..."   
  
"I don't think so Andy-Andrew, whatever. We were on this bounty first," Spike said lowly. Andy had once again tried for the back room, but Spike caught him by is collar and pulled him back.  
  
Andrew raised his eyebrow delicately at Spike and carefully brushed off his suit. He turned and faced Spike and they locked glares. They stood that way as if in a high noon show down for what seemed like forever. As some disturbed people walked down the stairs muttering Jet turned around and then nearly fell out of his chair. It was Andy. Andy and Spike duking it out with their eyes. Except for that fact that Andy didn't look like...himself. He was completely re-vamped. Slick hair, Italian suit, and an expensive looking watch.  
  
Spike took a breath to speak when M.J. walked out of the back room, looking smug, and feeling sure that it was another good night. At the sudden soft noise both hunters and Faye all whirled on her and she staggered backwards immediately understanding that tonight was not a good night after all.  
  
Before Faye could take a step Andrew and Spike were running at her trying to trip each other up. M.J. headed straight for the edge of the balcony and jumped off. She landed on a table and rolled off the impact narrowly missing several people. People shouted indignantly and started moving away as she turned around and winked and saluted Spike and Andy, before running off.  
  
With a growl Spike launched himself off the balcony and landed on the same table breaking its legs and rolling down the incline, and took off, dodging people and tables. At the same time, Andrew calmly squared off with the chandelier, raised his arm with the watch, one hand on the face of the watch, aimed, and pressed on the face. A small hook shot out from his watch and wrapped around the chandelier. He took a hold of the small cord, spun the watch to face the other side of his wrist, and jumped out, swinging in a large graceful arc around the room towards the doorway. The light shifted, sparking off mirrors and casting shadows and light in odd places. At the last moment he pushed the face of his watch with his middle finger and landed with cat grace in front of the doorway, blocking M.J.'s escape, as Spike appeared behind her brandishing his gun.  
  
The other benefit goers flooded out the door around Andy. M.J. twirled around to go in the opposite direction of the flying man in the suit, and met with Spike's cold stare and his gun, stopped in her tracks.  
  
Spike began walking to M.J. slowly while Andy stood calmly watching for any attempt to escape. Spike said, "You can make this hard or easy, but either way your coming with me."  
  
"Hey, she's MY bounty, Spiegel." Andy called.  
  
Using their momentary exchange, M.J. whipped a pistol out of her handbag and shot several times at the chandelier. "I'm not going with either of you!"The lights flickered and went out. She turned and ran out around Andy who dove at her and missed. Jet and Faye stumbled down the staircase, while Spike ran and jumped over Andy chasing her down the hall towards the lobby. Andy growled and took off after Spike.   
  
Spike fired a shot at M.J., but she dodged around the front desk and it hit the marble top. Her hand appeared above and squeezed off a couple blind shots. She obviously wasn't a very good shot after all.   
  
Andrew turned the wheel on the side of his watch a few clicks and stuffed his fingers in his ears as a high piercing sound filled the hall, shocking everyone, but him into nearly falling. With Spike momentarily he was free to catapult over the desk and wrestle briefly with M.J.  
  
She fought him, but he pinned her facedown to the floor, and hand cuffed her. He was about to stand and claim his victory, when a flying foot hit him in the chest, sending him sprawling back into the other side of the desk.  
  
"I said, that this bounty was mine." Spike bounced lightly on his toes. Andy growled and hurled himself at Spike who smoothly moved to one side, grasped his extended fist, and flipped him to the ground. Andy jumped up and caught Spike off guard and his fist connected squarely with Spike's jaw.   
  
M.J. tried to run for the door, and past the two fighting men, but Jet rounded the corner and just managed to catch her by the cuffs. Faye walked down the hall, and stopped as Spike teetered over and fell on his ass right in front of her and then got up and ran back at Andy. She shrugged into her coat and gave the cowboy and secret agent a wide berth and waved for Jet to follow her outside.   
  
_How come I'm getting an odd sense of deja vu?   
  
_"Come on Jet let's turn her in before one of them notices that she's gone."   
  
"Uh," Jet looked back through the doors at Spike and Andy, "Are you sure?"   
  
"No! No, you're not! You'd like to let me go wouldn't you? Wouldn't you??" M.J. begged, looking up at Jet pleadingly and then Faye. "Please?"  
  
"No, we don't," Faye said flatly. She pulled out a cigarette and light it up. She became worried when she heard a window break.   
  
"Yes, I'm sure. They'll be just fine," Just then a police siren sounded and the lights turned the falling snow red and blue.   
  
  
___________  
  
  
Spike and Andy fought their way down the hall. Banging into walls and furniture. Spike punched and Andy ducked and Spike got a fist full of the wall.  
  
"Is that all you've got cowboy?" He asked Spike.  
  
Spike cracked his knuckles and spun on one foot knocking Andy into the same wall. "Is that all you've got...Andrew? At least I don't rely on some fancy trick watch."   
  
"Hey, I like my watch. It tells the time." Spike rolled his eyes, and jumped back as Andy rolled to his feet. They squared off again, staring each other down. They traded blows quickly, and Spike drew his gun to fire at Andy, but he missed when Andy crouched and rammed Spike's arm from below causing the bullet to miss and hit a light fixture above them. Glass and copper wire bits tinkled down on them and they heard a siren.  
  
Andy's eyes widened. He stood up and looked franticly up and down the hall. He started running in the opposite direction of the lights and spike yelled, "Hey! Where're you going?!"   
  
"I...I have to go. It might be my parents...they've been looking for me," He said. Ten regained his composure enough to say, "Next time we'll finish this cowboy. Next time, " And ran off.   
  
"HEY! Damnit." Spike swore as he heard someone coming from down in the direction of the ballroom. He didn't want to let Andy get away. He hid in a dark corner as a man with an ISSP suit walked by waving a small com.  
  
__________  
  
  
A tall man with a tag that said 'Lieutenant Seabrooks' got out of the police vehicle and said, "What's going on here? Why is that window broken?" Another man in the passenger said of the car watched them all.  
  
Jet cleared his throat, "We caught this woman stealing people's money in the name of the LWA, and when we tried to apprehend her for her crimes she put up quite a fight." he waved his thumb at Megasa who was hand cuffed to the handicapped railing. Seabrooks pulled a small com-like device from his pocket and held it up to Megasa's face. It hummed and then beeped happily. the man who was in the passenger side of the car got out and stepped carefully through the broken front window. He waved around and spoke into his own com device. Jet and Faye waited and wondered nervously where Andy and Spike were. He disappeared down the hallway towards the ballroom. A few moments later he came out having assessed the damage and spoke quietly to Seabrooks.  
  
"Yea, you got one, but..." started Seabrooks.  
  
"But?" asked Faye.  
  
"Someone has to pay for the damage to Chateau Nartalla,"  
  
Jet clapped a hand to his forehead and almost whined, "How much?"  
  
"80,000 woolongs. The chandelier, the marble top desk, table, windows...various other items-"   
  
"Fine, ok, just give us the twenty-one thousand," Jet sighed exasperatedly."  
  
Seabrooks held out his hand at Travis and Travis stared blankly at it for a second and then ran to the car, came back and dropped a blank card in Seabrooks' hand. He slid the card into the slot on the side and then handed it to Jet. Faye immediately snatched it from Jet and rubbed it against her cheek. She REALLY wanted to gamble some. In fact there was a casino right down the street...Jet snatched the card back, glaring at her and put it in his pocket. She pouted at him. He turned away to uncuff M.J.  
  
Jet undid his handcuffs, and Lieutenant Seabrooks pushed her towards the car and she shouted, "Unhand me you fiends!" Seabrooks opened the car door and she yelled, "NOOO! You'll be hearing from my lawyers!!!" and she twisted and kicked Seabrooks where it counts. Jet balked and Faye had to keep from laughing.   
  
He took and unsteady breath. "Ow..." and fell over. Travis, Seabrooks trainee, hopped out of the passenger seat and grabbed M.J. pushing her into the back seat and then slamming the door shut and leaning against it. She pounded on the door with her fists making Travis jump away from the door.   
  
"Uh, sir are you alright?" Travis helped Seabrooks up.  
  
"Yea," he panted, "I'll be fine...later," he walked very slowly around to the other side of the car, "Have a goodnight," and plopped into the car.   
  
"Does that sorta thing happen a lot on the job?" Travis asked. Seabrooks' reply was muted at he shut his door and drove away.  
  
Jet leaned up against the street lamp, now smoking his own cigarette. _Probably reminiscing about his old ISSP days...I wonder if he had a ditzy trainee like that..._Faye wondered, as she stepped over some broken glass and peeked behind the front desk.   
  
"Hey! Lunkhead! We got the money, come on let's go!"  
A small wrinkly woman walked by and hissed, "SHH! You'll wake up the other patrons! There's already BEEN enough racket around here!" she shuffled off muttering about something. At the other and of the lobby there were several women and men discussing something vehemently. _Must be the owners..   
  
_She walked down the hallway looking for any sign of Spike or Andy. Well actually there were signs all down this hall. several dents, pictures hanging askew, one light fixture shot to pieces. suddenly a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist pulling her around a dark corner.   
  
"Lunkhead! What is this? Some suspense flick?" she said angrily jerking her wrist out of his hand.   
  
"It could have been," he teased and she frowned at him. "Did we get the money?"  
  
"Yea, we did. We blamed Megasa for all the damage you two did, so it got taken out of the bounty." she sighed.  
  
"Damn..."  
  
"Where IS Andy?"  
  
"He ran off when he heard the siren. Something about his family looking for him." Spike chuckled.   
  
"Come on, I'm sleepy." she turned and walked back down the hall. Spike caught up and held her hand.   
  
"When she looked at him he said. In case anybody asks, we'll still look the part."  
  
She mouth an Oh to herself. she slipped her hand out of his when they got outside and said, "Ok, I got him let's go. I hope you know that I fully expect to still get my share this time because I didn't do anything wr-"  
  
"Yea, yea, how 'bout we don't let Spike eat for a week? then we might actually gain some money." Jet said.   
  
"Oooo, does that mean more food for Ed? Is Bebop done now?"  
  
"Yes, and yes." and they walked in silence with the snow back to their ships.  
  


NFA: Hope you liked it as usual and please review! Feeed meee! So how did everyone like Andy? Telll meee! I'll start going through and editing every chapter as soon as I get them all saved to my Mom's computer, probably today, and they'll all be replaced, especially chapter two, as I finish them._  
_  
  



	29. Island of Tranquility

**NessacusGirl**, Hehe, I'm glad you liked it so much. ^__^ *hands her a lily* **Kyra1**, of course I still do! *glomp* RySenkari, Thanks! And maybe it really WAS Andy's bounty. I mean I think he was there first. :) Maybe more Andy…later…I dunno. I think for now he's going to run from his family while having fun being a secret agent man. First one from **Bluefuzzyelf**! Thanks so much! My very first two from **Silver Goddess1** as well! Thank you! **Shari**** Hirtle**, Shari, Shari, Shari, YAY! I of course I missed you! Thank you thank you! Glad you liked Andy! **Red-Tenko**, Hehe, Lol. I did that too when I saw him. My brother was sitting next to me and I jumped and turned to him and went, OMG Robert its ANDY!! ANDY'S in the parade! Do you see, him did you see him?! He looked at me and went ¬_¬ Ashley shut UP! **Aritaka619**, my first one from you. Thank you! I hope you like the rest of the chapters, and I think they get longer as you go along.   
  
This chapter is quite rushed because I wanted to post what I had before I left to go home. My Mom uninstalled Word Processor so I didn't have a spell check. --;; I'm not doing thanks just yet, but I'll edit and replace this chapter when I get home and have some spare time. I dunno how the format will come out...I hope it comes out ok...  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop  
  
Thoughts are in italics  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                                                                        Island of Tranquility  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"I can't believe that he just ran off!"  
  
"Yea, and he didn't even leave Bebop-Bebop any soup!" chirped Ed.  
  
"Rich kids. They can't handle it. I knew he was a fake. And what was up with that watch of his? I fought him the whole time without anything...he cheated. Yea, that's right," Spike went on, nodding to himself. "I thought that he was a samurai? What happened to that? Did he get tired of that too? Hey, Faye good thing you don't fall for guys like him. No solidarity," he rambled on with his feet up idly switching channels on the tube. "I mean he can't even figure out what to be! He's like a ten year old that says, 'Oh! I wanna be a fireman! No, I wanna be a race car driver! No..', I mean come on. He's a grown man!"  
  
"You can't depend on men at all," she said matter-of-factly.  
  
"What?" he said loudly. "You can depend on me!"  
  
She snorted, "Depend on you to get in a fight that we have to pay for out of the bounty money!" she sauntered haughtily out of the room, as he stared at her back not seeing, her words echoed in his head. _Julia could not depend on me..._He started to shake his head not even wanting to let that image come to mind, but it was thinking itself in his head.  
  
"Dependable, bendable!" Ed flipped down from one of the ducts near the ceiling and landed, wobbling, with one hand on the couch and one hand on the trunk. Her feet wiggled in the air, and slapped, soles together. Her mouth stretched into a long calm expression as she said, "Oohhmm. Oohhmm. Say it with me Spike-person. Oohhmm," she breathed in deeply and opened one large golden at him. He stared straight at her his eyebrows slightly up. He took a drag off his cigarette and let his hand fall weakly against his knee. Ed's one eye blinked and then the other opened to stare at him. "Do as Ed saaays!" she whined.  
  
Spike rolled his eyes, and mouthed a 'Fine.' at her.  
  
She closed her eyes and said, "Breath in."  
  
"Do I have to shut my eyes?"  
  
"If you wish."  
  
He sighed and closed his eyes.  
  
"Ed said Breath in."  
  
He breathed in quickly.  
  
"Good. Now say, Oohhmm, as you breath out. Go."  
  
"Ed, I'm not saying, Oohhmm," he breathed out opening his eyes.  
  
She opened one eye again. "Fine," she sang and flipped to her feet, bent low with her knees and frog jumped up to the duct.  
  
As he watched her go, he felt a little guilty that he hadn't said Oohhmm. _I mean it couldn't have hurt to do what the kid asked for once..._He sighed again and noticed his cigarette was nearly gone. He snubbed it out next to the TV. He looked around carefully. Jet was in his bonsai room, and Faye was in her room, he hoped.  
  
He sat up straight, closed his eyes, and breathed out, "Oohhmm," He stopped short after hearing his voice waver slightly in the silent room. He didn't want anyone to hear. He breathed deep and said, "Oohhmm."  
  
Ed's child-like voice said softly right by his ear without surprising him, "Concentrate on breathing Spike-person."  
  
He concentrated on how the air felt being pulled into his nose and filling his lungs, his chest expanding, and then moving back out. "Oohhmm."  
  
He heard Ed's voice join his, and say, "Don't stop concentrating."  
  
They sat that way, for a few minutes, breathing and oohhmming together. Until Spike felt a feel that he could stop now creep up in him. So he breathed out without saying Oohhmm and opened his eyes.  
  
"Hey!" he shouted and jumped back surprised.  
  
Faye was sitting right in front of him her knees inches from his own on the trunk, staring straight into his face. "Hi," she said smiling.  
  
"Uh, hi," _Oh damn.._ He tried hard not to blush. He hadn't wanted anyone to catch him meditating with Ed.  
  
Suddenly the ship lurched and tilted to one side and the lights flickered and then went out. Ein skittered across the floor and Ed fell down from the duct, bouncing off the couch and on the floor. Faye grabbed Spike who had held on to the couch, which slid down as well. Spike briefly thought that they might accidentally crush Ein.  
  
"What happened?" Faye's voice seemed very loud in the sudden darkness and complete silence.  
  
"I don't know-" He stopped short when they heard the sound of something big powering down, or shutting off. And they floated clear off the furniture. Then it was truly silent. There seemed to be no noise whatsoever coming from the ship itself. The gravity had always been light on the Bebop before, but now there was none.  
  
"Why is there no gravity?" Faye hugged closer Spike, so that she couldn't float away.  
  
"Alright, who did this to my ship?!" Jet yelled angrily as he slid down the corridor from his bonsai room holding on to the track. He had a flash light and waved it about the room. He spotted Faye gripping Spike's waist, Ed with her arms wrapped around her duct, feet waving in the air. Ein dog paddled to Jet barking.  
  
The emergency lights came on flooding the darkness and lighting up the slightly eerie inside. Random objects floated in the air. Cups, the remote, Tomato, a shoe that looked like it belonged to Spike, anything that wasn't held in place. Jets trees were all secured to their spots in his room so they were safe. The ships computer said, "Intruder detected, aft of the gravity well."  
  
Faye almost let go of Spike, "What's that mean, Jet?"  
  
"It means that someone is trying to get in the ship somewhere behind the rotating tunnel," Spike looked down at her.  
  
She scowled at him. "Shit," Jet swore. He pulled back on the track and he sailed back down the hallway.  
  
Spike tried to follow, but is way was impeded by Faye wrapped around his waist. "If you have to hold on to me then hold on to my back. You could let go if you really wanted." She looked up at him and shook her head. As she maneuvered around, he remembered that last time the gravity had been out Faye had been unconscious and infected, and that the lights had been on. He shrugged to himself and looked for somewhere to push off of. He reached down with one foot and pressed his toe against the inside of the arm of the couch. He swung forward that way staying mostly upright and tried to aim them at the track. When he pushed off he felt Faye's arms tighten around his waist.  
  
They reached the track and he pressed the button, and suddenly the track slid down to them. He grabbed the handle and pulled back and they were pulled forward. He let go when the got to Jet's bonsai room to see Jet rummaging around in a box. There were several flashlights floating around him, on, creating an odd looking prison of light beams, and something dark shapeless. "Someone go get Ed. Spike here's your suit, " Jet chucked the dark shapeless thing at Spike, "And yours Faye," another one launched out of the box at Spike who caught it too and handed it to Spike. "Put those on, and then come up to the control room."  
  
"Faye go back and get Ed and Ein," Spike said before turning to take off his jacket.  
  
"But I-" she started when the track handle whizzed away back down the hall. There was a bark and a loud 'Whheeeee!' as Ed sailed toward them Ein under one arm. Spike grabbed her hand before she could let go of the handle and sail off.  
  
"Go up to the control room with Jet," he ordered.  
  
"Aye, Aye, Cap'in!" she saluted and pulled back on the handle and sailed off towards the control room.  
  
He had slipped his pants off and Faye was just staring off down the hall after Ed when Spike interrupted her thoughts,"Faye turn around and put your suit on."  
  
"Why should I turn around?"  
  
"Because you were going to tell me to anyways."  
  
"Why do we have to put these on?"  
  
"Because someone is trying to get in from the outside of the ship, and someone probably has to go out after him."  
  
She grumbled and carefully used the door frame to push off of and sailed over Jet's bonsai and pushed on the ceiling to get down to where Jet had been rummaging around. She looked around inside and found her underclothes that she kept just for her spacesuit. She positioned the flashlights around over her head and took off her yellow outfit and put on her thin white tank top and tight black biker shorts.  
  
Spike, in his boxers and under shirt with his legs in the suit only half way zipped up, leaned in and said, "Faye, are you done yet? Can you toss me a flashlight?" She was trying to get her legs into her suit and pull it up and she was floating upside down. Faye gave a hard yank on her suit pant and kicked her right leg and hit one of the flashlights sending it into the ceiling where it broke and flickered off.  
  
She stopped looking up at here the flashlight and its pieces were floating. "Uh, sure hold on," she used the wall and righted herself and grabbed a working flashlight and lobbed it carefully at Spike. She saw their helmets and said, "Wait a second..." she bent over and grabbed the edge of the box and pulled herself down. She looked closely at both the helmets, and picked up one in each hand. When she got back up she lobbed the helmet in her right hand at Spike.  
  
"Good work," he set it carefully within arms reach continued slipping into his suit.  
  
Faye slipped her arms in and zipped up all the way up to her neck. She checked to make sure that the different systems were working properly. She engaged the magnet boots and was pulled hard to the floor. Faye reached up for a flashlight, but they were all several feet above her reach. She sighed disengaged the boots and got a flashlight. She floated over the bonsai with her helmet and flashlight towards Spike who was just zipping his suit up.  
  
Spike looked at her before grabbing the handle, Faye quickly hooked her arm through his left one as he pulled back on the handle and they were pulled up towards the control room. There was a loud explosion and they slammed into the wall.  
  
  
"Jesus, what was that?" Spike looked around frowning. Faye wasn't really paying attention to the explosions. Spike looked really, really good in that suit and that's what she was thinking about.  
  
  
  
  
NFA: Next part coming later! Now...off to pack! I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!


	30. Pizza Flyer

Thanks **Silver Goddess1**! Here's your more! **RySenkari**, I'm glad you liked when they meditated, I liked it too. Be in suspense no more! My first review from **Bec126**, I'm happy you liked it, thanks! My first review also from **Acacia Jules**, thank you! No one ever really said anything like that about the whole comb thing! @_@ I know what you're talking about with hair growing back slowly. Thanks so much! ^__^ **  
  
**School starts tomorrow. Lucky me. Hopefully my work ethic will return and chapters wont have big gaps between 'em! Have a good rest of summer everyone! Check chapter 29 if you reviewed, the chapter has been replaced and you guys are thanked.**  
  
**  
Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop  
  
Thoughts are in _italics_  
  
  
Pizza Flyer  
  
  
The hard impact against the wall caused Faye's arm to come loose from Spike's and she madly flailed and pushed back off the wall and clung to his waist again. "Faye clam down."   
  
She frowned and inwardly sad, and let go of him entirely and watched him speed off while she floated forward some on her own. Spike looked back at her. Maybe it was just her but he had sounded more than a bit annoyed that she clung to him that way. That's why she had let go. The handle came racing back her way and without thinking she reached and grabbed it. It wasn't the best idea. She was pulled sharply back and then forward from the sharp change of directions.   
  
When she made it to the cockpit someone was talking loudly through some static, "Alpha charlie tango, Ammador, do you copy? This is Lennon, do you copy Ammador?" When 'Lennon' received only static, he swore. "Damn cheap shit…we're part of a _syndicate_, you think they could get decent equipment!" Spike growled. He didn't want to bring trouble to the Bebop. Someone would get hurt.  
  
"Sorry, sir. I was out of range while scouting." answered Ammador.  
  
"Damn it Ammador let me know next time!"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Is Hunter and his squad here yet?"  
  
"Affirmative, sir. They are just coming in range."  
  
"Hey, Lennon. Sorry we're late. Hunter Squadron reporting in."  
  
"Good," said Lennon. "We've just made the first attack. I have Kalata on the ship and Ammador and Shai on aerials. Kalata's taken out the non-vital systems. Who have you got for us to work with?"

  
"Jakuta, Veritas, and Mollistar, sir!"  
  
"Good. We'll start attacking with the light arms. See if we can draw Spiegel out."  
  
"Sir!" the other seven men responded enthusiastically. There were two small rumbles that shook the ship.  
  
No one had said a word yet. Faye had been staring at Spike's back and Jet's eyes were locked on the receiver. Ed having the time of her life in zero gravity with Ein was just background noise. Spike's back was so tense. His hands were balled into fists. The flashlight positioned over the radio shone off Jet's head oddly.  
  
_The syndicate. Spike's syndicate. _She always thought of it as his. The last times she had become involved with the syndicate, however unintentionally, were frightening enough. But it was Spike's syndicate and he would keep them safe, her safe. Like the first time. She moved forward and wrapped her hands around one of his clenched fists. She felt safer even if he was angry.   
  
He glanced down at the top of Faye's head, her helmet under one arm. _Damn it. I knew this would happen. I wont be their leader. They wont get revenge. Whatever they want…they're not getting it. They're attacking where I live. Draw me out. Draw me out? No one draws me out. I come out, and annihilate. _  
  
It was like, well, getting a new life. No matter how much you liked the old one and it was a deep set habit, bad or good, when you got the new life, of course you still wanted the old one to be important, still wanted it to matter. But no matter what you did, your priorities and what you cared about slowly changed. And your old life and how you were then becomes less important.  
  
Or like disliking pepperoni all your life, and then, one day for fun you take a bite of some pepperoni pizza, and then you just…don't mind it. It tastes good. Then you have to remember that you DO like pepperoni now, and to stop ordering just cheese pizza. So, slowly you forget about liking just cheese pizza, and move on to pepperoni. You still like cheese…it's just not as good anymore.  
  
That's what Spike had been going through lately. He was starting to like pepperoni pizza. It was confusing the hell out of him, but he didn't really mind, this new type of pizza tasted good.  
  
And these guys from the cheese were beating up on his pepperoni, and well, we just can't have that.   
  
He pushed off the floor, saying, "Jet, stay here and keep me informed on their moves. Faye I want you to take your gun and get out on the side of the ship and deal with Kalata. Be careful. I'll keep the rest off the ship and cover you Faye, if you need it."  
  
"B-but," she was startled, he had his game face on so to speak. The dead set serious face that could make the faint of heart wet their pants. "Don't you want me to help you?"  
  
"No. I know you can handle Kalata if you're careful. When you finish him, if there's any fighters left then you can launch and help me."  
  
"What can we do?" Asked Ed as she floated, spinning in the air holding Ein.  
  
"You can help Jet. Try and hack their ships," With that he pushed off again and floated out again. Faye followed close behind him, holding onto the handle.  
  
They whizzed down the hall and when they reached common room he let go and the coasted smoothly across the room where he flipped forward to push off the wall, Faye made a small noise grabbed his back and pulled her knees up to her chest. He pushed them towards the hatch that their rooms were off of. He rolled it open and used it to push off of and down the hall. He stopped at Faye's room. She let go and pulled herself in turning on a light.   
  
Her lipstick and dirty cloths and cigarette butts floated about. She looked around and grabbed her gun and some ammo floating over the bed. She turned and saw Spike watching her. Suddenly she felt sleepy. Like she hadn't slept in days. She wanted to lay down and let Spike take care of it. She floated out to him and they went out to the deck and sealed the door. Faye engaged her boots and watched Spike's ship roll out, the wings unfold, and blast off.   
  
  
Spike patched over their radio units and she heard Spike responding to something Jet told him. He zoomed out of sight around one side of the Bebop and off into space. She made her way slowly to the opening and carefully stepped onto the side of Bebop. He senses whirled until she made sure to think of the side as down and space as up. Then she continued on. "Uh, Spike where is this guy?"  
  
She heard him grunt as his ship spiraled by and cornered straight up, avoiding a line of shots, "Just keep going straight and then climb over the rotating tunnel." She nodded to herself.  
  
He'd already taken out two ships the ones he assumed were Hunter and Jakuta. Probably rogue remnants of the old guard that were loyal to the Vans, and wanted to blow off some steam. He had no idea who was in charge now. Maybe they should try some pepperoni pizza. "Spike! The gray ship's going to aim for Faye! Warn her!" yelled Jet.  
  
"Faye! Move now!"  
  
"Wha?" she got the impression of a large gray ship and disengaged her boots and jumped away as hard as she could. The blast shook the ship and she thought that she could feel the heat through her suit. She grabbed on to a piece of metal sticking up from the ship and reengaged her boots.   
  
"They know that you're going after Kalata so hurry! I'll hold them off."  
  
"Got it," she responded and worked on her slow motion running skills. Its hard work running with magnets of your feet. She reached the outside of the rotating tunnel and looked up. Uncertainly she stepped on to its side. This was just the metal on the outside of the tunnel itself. It didn't rotate. She walked up and across the tunnel. When she hopped off she was sucked quickly down by her boots. She could see Kalata now. He was looking in her direction, with his gun ready. She walked carefully wide around him over the fins and behind him. When she looked about in space she saw Spike keeping the other fighters fully occupied. Two of them converged on his ship which angled sharply down and the other two ships collided exploding. She smirked. Syndicate goonies could be pretty stupid. She was surprised they didn't see that maneuver coming miles away.  
  
She aimed her gun at Kalata's back and only hesitated for a second as the bright blue flash of Spike's cannon threw everything into sharp relief. Kalata saw her shadow and was turning to shoot as she shot him in the back. In the head would have been too messy. Faye didn't look at his face and she fiddled with his belt and his boots before turning the magnet off and pushing him gently away from the ship.   
  
She decided she should at least close the panel that Kalata had opened, because she didn't know how to fix what he had done. It was just a mess of wires and switch boards in there. _Jet'll probably fix it later._   
  
"Spike. I got him."  
  
"Good, get your ass out here. These guys just don't just don't wanna die."  
  
As she was making her way back to the hangar her belt was shot off and she floated unsteadily in space. A foreign glove wrapped itself around her left arm and pulled her close. An olive, Asian face leered at her from in the helmet. She was frozen between struggling to get away or hanging on to the person. She remembered her gun and tried to bring it up to shoot, but the man punched her in the stomach. She let go of her gun as she arced over his head and he let her momentum slam her into the ship.  
  
Spike had taken out the last ship he had assumed was Lennon. He was flying back around wondering where Faye was when he saw the gray ship stopped close to the Bebop. Empty.   
  
_Damn it! I should have noticed! _He flew slowly around the other side of the hangar and saw Faye slam cruelly into the ship. He wanted to shoot, but he'd most likely hit Faye as well.   
  
"Faye do something! Don't worry I'll be there."  


"Always giving orders…" she muttered.  
  
The man touched something on the side of his helmet as they spoke and aimed Faye's own gun at her, one hand wrapped around his wrist. "Ahh, comforting words of reassurance," he sneered condescendingly. She struggled to get away. Bracing herself she swung around hard, her foot coming up and catching him under his chin.  
  
He stumbled back a bit, he pressed the gun to her helmet and said, "I was going to shoot you, but I'd rather throw you away like the trash you are."  
  
Her dignity wounded, she began to yell an angry retort when he whipped her around by her wrist. Making her dizzy. Suddenly there was no fist clamped around her wrist. And the Bebop was speeding away. Suddenly she recalled a memory of a video on space junk from school. It said that since space was frictionless, things could just go and go and go. Little tiny nuts and bolts made big dents in satellites and stuff, just from their speed. They just kept going until they hit something. "Spike!" she screamed.  
  
He had been pulling to the hangar fully wanting to beat the shit out of that guy. Put some old fashioned woop-ass and relieve some stress, when he heard Faye scream his name. She called him again, "Spike!"  
  
"What?" he said worriedly.   
  
Her voice was panicked, "Spike, he threw me!"  
  
"I'll come get you. Hang on while I get this guy." There was a small beeping sound. They were going out of range.  
  
Then in a flat voice she said, "Fuck. I didn't check the air tanks."   
  
  
  
  
NFA: Well there's that. This chapter gave me a bit of trouble, but I hope you liked it. Tune in next time for the exciting conclusion! ^__^ PLEASE REVIEW!


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